Scottish first minister's in-laws make it out of Gaza after 4 weeks

By Mehmet Solmaz

BIRMINGHAM, England (AA) — Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf said he is "hugely relieved" that his wife Nadia El-Nakla's parents, who were trapped in the Gaza Strip amid ongoing conflict in the besieged enclave, were able to leave into Egypt on Friday morning through the Rafah border crossing.

Yousaf's mother-in-law, Elizabeth El-Nakla, and her husband, Maged, had traveled from Scotland to Gaza prior to the current conflict, which began on Oct. 7, to visit a sick relative in the Palestinian enclave.

"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," Yousaf and El-Nakla said a statement.

"Although we feel a sense of deep personal relief, we are heartbroken at the continued suffering of the people of Gaza," they added.

They reiterated their call for all sides to agree to an immediate cease-fire, for hostages to be released, and for a humanitarian corridor to be opened to allow aid and fuel to flow into the region.

"Families in Gaza and Israel are suffering after the loss of entirely innocent men, women and children," they said.

"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."

The Israeli army has expanded its air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip, which has been under relentless airstrikes since the Palestinian group Hamas launched a surprise cross-border offensive on Oct. 7.

More than 10,300 people have since been killed in the conflict, including at least 8,796 Palestinians and more than 1,538 Israelis, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.