Former Dundee nurse Elizabeth El-Nakla – mother of Humza Yousaf’s wife Nadia – said her goodbyes from Gaza on Wednesday after her family were hit by a rocket, an MP has told parliament.
Dundee West MP Chris Law told Prime Minister Rishi Sunak that the first minister’s wife had taken a call from her mum on Wednesday morning.
He said the Dundee resident said her final goodbyes to her daughter before adding that it would “better” for her heart to stop as she “can’t take another night”.
Mr Law told Rishi Sunak that his first responsibility should be to ensure British nationals – including the first minister’s family – were safely brought home.
‘Last night was the end for me, better if my heart stops…I can’t take another night’
Speaking at Prime Minster’s Questions the Dundee West MP said: “The Rafah border crossing from besieged Gaza into Egypt has been hit by several Israeli air strikes causing absolute terror for those who urgently need this crossing open to escape.”
Referring to Ms El-Nakla’s parents he said: “Members of her family were hit yesterday by a rocket from a drone, and Nadia’s mother was saying her final goodbyes this morning, adding ‘last night was the end for me, better if my heart stops and then I will be at peace, I can’t take another night’.
“With miliary action intensifying and the death toll rapidly rising the Prime Minister’s first responsibility must be to bring British citizens home.
“So can the Prime Minister please give his personal assurances that every single step is being taken to open the Rafah crossing for both humanitarian aid and for UK nationals like Nadia’s family to flee?”
Mr Sunak told the House of Commons the government continued dialogue about the crossing with both the Israeli and Egyptians.
He said: “Of course the thoughts of everyone in this House will be with those families affected by what is happening in Israel and in Gaza, and I can give the honourable gentleman that assurance that we are doing everything in our power to ensure the safety of British nationals that are caught up in all of this, including my calls with leaders across the region, particularly around opening the Rafah border crossing.”
UN experts condemn ‘collective punishment’ by Israel and Gaza runs out of water
Ms El-Nakla said previously her mum, a former nurse, had been trying to treat injured children but the house where she is staying has run out of clean water.
Israel controls the supply of fresh water to the Palestinian territory, with the pipeline cut off as their offensive against the region escalates.
UN experts have condemned the blockade as a form of “collective punishment”, a war crime, committed against the people of Gaza for attacks by the militant group Hamas.
Aberdeen MP Stephen Flynn has called for the UK government to support an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and the region – to protect innocent civilians, women and children.
At Prime Ministers Questions, the SNP Westminster Leader called for a ceasefire to enable the creation of safe corridors out of Gaza for innocent civilians, and for safe corridors into Gaza for food, water, medical and humanitarian supplies.
He also said the UK Government should establish a refugee resettlement scheme similar to those set up for those fleeing Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine.