Israel-Gaza war: Humza Yousaf’s in-laws successfully leave Gaza and enter into Egypt at Rafah border crossing

The couple has been trapped after travelling to Gaza to visit family

Humza Yousaf has shared the “deep personal relief” felt by his family as he confirmed his in-laws have managed to leave Gaza.

The First Minister said his wife Nadia’s parents were able to leave the territory through the Rafah crossing on Friday morning.

Elizabeth and Maged El-Nakla, from Dundee, had been named among 92 British nationals who were permitted to pass through the Rafah border crossing into Egypt.

Humza Yousaf

The couple travelled to Gaza to visit family prior to the conflict erupting and had been trapped there since.

Mr Yousaf has regularly shared updates on his family’s situation, including that they had to drink sea water due to a lack of clean resources. The First Minister and his wife said the past four weeks had been a “living nightmare” for the family.

A statement from Mr Yousaf and Nadia El-Nakla said: "We are very pleased to confirm that Nadia’s parents were able to leave Gaza through the Rafah Crossing this morning. We are grateful to all of those who have assisted our parents over the last few weeks, including the FCDO [Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office] crisis team.

"These last four weeks have been a living nightmare for our family. We are so thankful for all of the messages of comfort and prayers that we have received from across the world, and indeed from across the political spectrum in Scotland and the UK.

A man reacts as he sits near the gate to the Rafah border crossing with Egypt in the south of the Gaza Strip. Picture: Said Khatib/AFP via Getty Images

"Although we feel a sense of deep personal relief, we are heartbroken at the continued suffering of the people of Gaza. We will continue to raise our voices to stop the killing and suffering of the innocent people of Gaza.

"We reiterate our calls for all sides to agree to an immediate ceasefire, the opening of a humanitarian corridor so that significant amounts of aid, including fuel, can flow through to a population that have suffered collective punishment for far too long, and for all hostages to be released.

"Families in Gaza and Israel are suffering after the loss of entirely innocent men, women and children. We pray for them all, and pray that the international community at last focuses on achieving a lasting peace in the region – one that recognises that the rights and lives of Palestinians and Israelis are equal."

It was previously reported Mr Yousaf’s in-laws faced “rapidly diminishing supplies”.

Nearly 100 British citizens are expected to be able to leave Gaza for Egypt on Friday. The latest list published by the Palestinian border authority includes 92 people described as British citizens, out of a total of 127 people named under the UK section of the list.

It comes amid major diplomatic efforts to secure foreign nationals safe passage out of the war-torn region and into Egypt through the Rafah crossing.

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said: “This is great news for Humza Yousaf and his wife Nadia. I’m delighted that their family are safe after weeks of anguish and uncertainty.

“The torment they have endured has been experienced by all those with loved ones stuck in Gaza – and the priority is to continue to get as many as possible of those who are trapped safely evacuated from the region.”