Nadia El-Nakla, the wife of Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf, has expressed deep concern for her parents who are currently trapped in Gaza following a visit to their relatives in the besieged enclave. In an interview with the BBC’s Reporting Scotland, she revealed that her parents, Elizabeth and Maged, feel terrified and fear for their lives amidst the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
The El-Naklas had traveled to Gaza to visit an elderly relative and Nadia’s brother, who works as a doctor in the area. However, the situation quickly deteriorated when Hamas, the armed group governing Gaza, launched an attack on Israel, resulting in a devastating bombardment that has claimed the lives of over 1,300 people on both sides.
Adding to the dire situation, Gaza’s sole power plant recently ran out of fuel after Israel cut off supplies, leaving the entire region without electricity. Elizabeth, in a video clip shared during the interview, described the desperate conditions they are facing, with no access to water and the fear of food spoilage due to the lack of electricity.
Nadia emotionally shared her concerns about her family’s safety and the uncertainty of what lies ahead. She mentioned the difficulty in maintaining contact with her parents, as they are now forced to conserve phone battery power. Conversations about relying on neighbors to check on their well-being have become necessary, as Nadia fears not being able to reach her parents directly.
Expressing her frustration and plea for humanitarian assistance, Nadia’s husband, Humza Yousaf, wrote a letter to British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, urging him to intervene and call on Israel to open a humanitarian corridor. Yousaf emphasized the need to address the escalating conflict and condemned the attacks carried out by Hamas. He stressed that innocent civilians should not bear the brunt of these actions and that collective punishment is unjustifiable.
As the conflict continues to escalate, the El-Nakla family remains trapped in Gaza, facing unimaginable challenges and uncertainty. Nadia’s heartfelt plea for her family’s safety serves as a reminder of the devastating toll that war takes on innocent lives. The international community is urged to take action and provide the necessary support to alleviate the suffering of those affected by the conflict in Gaza.
