Pakistan-origin Humza Yousaf, who became Scotland's first minister in March, said that the parents of his Palestinian wife were trapped in Gaza, which found itself under 'siege' on Monday following a surprise weekend assault led by the militant Palestinian resistance group Hamas.
Yousaf told the media that the parents of his wife, Nadia El-Nakla, were visiting family in Gaza when Hamas launched a multi-front dawn raid on Israel.
The first Muslim leader of a state in Western Europe, Yousaf, said that Israeli authorities informed him that his family had been asked to leave Gaza, but safe passage was not guaranteed.
Speaking to the media, he said that he did not know "whether or not my mother-in-law and father-in-law, who have nothing to do, as most Gazans don't, with Hamas or with any terror attack... will make it through."
My wife Nadia & I spent this morning on the phone to her family in Gaza. Many others in Scotland will be deeply worried about their families in Israel & Palestine. My thoughts and prayers are very much with those worried about loved ones caught up in this awful situation. https://t.co/s3ruAYXcQ1
— Humza Yousaf (@HumzaYousaf) October 7, 2023
Yousaf went on to condemn the attack mounted by Hamas, adding that innocents were "paying the price" on both sides.
Israel on Monday ordered a "complete siege" of Gaza, blocking the supply of food, water, electricity and gas to the narrow strip that houses over two million people as retribution for Hamas launching a surprise weekend assault that left at least 700 Israelis dead.