Scotland's First Minister Yousaf says parents-in-laws are trapped in Gaza

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - Scotland's leader Humza Yousaf on Monday said his parents-in-law are trapped in Gaza amid the escalating conflict between Hamas and Israel.

Yousaf's wife, Nadia El-Nakla, is of Palestinian descent, and her parents were in Gaza visiting family when the recent surge in violence began, resulting in hundreds of casualties.

In a press conference on Monday, Yousaf said: "As many will know, my wife is Palestinian. Her mum and dad, my in-laws, who live in Dundee, live in Scotland; they've been in Gaza and are currently trapped in Gaza, I'm afraid."

Yousaf said his wife's parents have been told by Israeli authorities to leave because "Gaza will effectively be obliterated."

"So, I'm in a situation where, frankly, night by night, day by day, we don't 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 - whether they will make it through the night or not," he said.

The Gaza-based resistance group Hamas launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel early Saturday, firing a barrage of rockets. It said the surprise attack was in response to the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and increased settler violence.

In retaliation, the Israeli army launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

At least 800 Israelis have been killed and over 2,300 others wounded in the fighting, according to the Israeli Health Ministry.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said that over 560 Palestinians died and over 2,900 were wounded.