SCOTLAND
Humza Yousaf ‘deeply relieved’ as parents-in-law escape Gaza

Fiona Parker
Fri, 3 November 2023 

Elizabeth and Maged El-Nakla travelled to Gaza to visit family before the conflict erupted - PA

The First Minister of Scotland spoke of his “deep personal relief” as his in-laws were finally able to leave Gaza through the Rafah Crossing.

Elizabeth and Maged El-Nakla, from Dundee, were among nearly a hundred British citizens approved to cross into Egypt on Friday morning.

The couple had travelled to Gaza to visit family before the conflict erupted and in recent weeks described living without clean water and “dwindling supplies”.

Confirming their safe crossing in an emotional joint statement with his wife Nadia El-Nakla, Humza Yousaf described the past four weeks as a “living nightmare” for their family.

The latest list published by the Palestinian border authority on Friday, included 92 people described as British citizens, out of a total of 127 people named under the UK section of the document.

Humza Yousaf and his wife, Nadia El-Nakla, said they are 'heartbroken at the continued suffering of the people of Gaza' - Getty Images

Stranded families, however, are still having to make the perilous journey to Rafah themselves – even if they are authorised to leave. One father told of how he was unable to book transport to take his wife and six children to the border because taxi and bus firms said the journey would be too dangerous.

Ibrahim Assalia said the Foreign Office had informed him on Thursday that he and his family would be approved to pass through the crossing on Friday. But despite approaching six taxi and bus firms, none would agree to take them on the 20-minute trip to Rafah.

Speaking to BBC’s World at One, he said: “No taxis wanted to pick up and when we said, ‘What’s wrong, why?.’ They said, ‘It’s very dangerous’.”

When Mr Assalia called the Foreign Office for advice, he says he was told that if it was dangerous it was “up to him” to decide whether to make the journey all not. He also claims he was informed that he would lose his right to leave Gaza if he failed to cross within seven days.

“That’s the truth you should get there within seven days otherwise you will lose your right,” Mr Assalia added. “We were put in a very critical situation, what to do, what to decide. I don’t know.”

‘Big relief to cross safely’

The Rafah Crossing first opened on Wednesday morning – after over three weeks of major diplomatic efforts to secure foreign nationals a safe passage out of Gaza.

Liverpool surgeon Dr Abdel Hammad, 67, said it was a “big relief” to cross safely into Egypt on Thursday. The doctor, who had been treating kidney transplant and dialysis patients in Gaza, told Sky News: “We left our compound at about 7am. We were able to cross the Palestinian side by 11.30 – it was very chaotic, a lot of people there.”

It is not known how many British citizens have passed through the Rafah Crossing into Egypt, although as few as two are thought to have done so on Wednesday. Yet with dozens still left stranded in the war-torn region, families are desperate for the evacuation programme to maintain its newfound pace.

Zaynab Wandawi, a 29-year-old British teacher travelled to Gaza with her husband and eight in-laws for a wedding two days before the Hamas attack. Lalah Ali Faten, her mother, told the Telegraph: “It is encouraging to see so many British people on the list today.

“We are all just praying that it will only be a matter of time before she will be able to leave.”

More than 9,000 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip since October 7, when Israel launched its military response to the atrocities committed by Hamas.

Security minister Tom Tugendhat said he could not go into detail about the number of Britons expected to cross the border.

He told Sky News: “I can give this absolute assurance that the UK Government from the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary, me and many others, have been absolutely committed to making sure we look after British citizens as best as we possibly can and we help to get them out of this incredibly dangerous situation.”

It is understood Foreign Secretary James Cleverly spoke to Ayman Safadi, minister of foreign affairs in Jordan, and UAE foreign minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Thursday about the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

He also spoke to Israel’s minister of strategic affairs, Ron Dermer, about ensuring British nationals are able to cross safely as soon as possible into Egypt, while reiterating the UK’s solidarity with Israel and its commitment to finding a two-state solution.
‘A living nightmare’

Mr Yousaf and Ms El-Nakla’s statement read: “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 crisis team.

They added: “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.

“Although we feel a sense of deep personal relief, we are heartbroken at the continued suffering of the people of Gaza.”

The Telegraph has approached the Foreign Office for a comment.