Yousaf hits out at Cleverly over ‘shameful’ omission in policy on Gaza conflict
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The First Minister has criticised the Foreign Secretary for failing to include helping UK nationals escape from the fighting in Gaza as a priority in his approach to the conflict there.
In a post on X – formerly Twitter – James Cleverly said his objectives relating to the conflict between Israel and Hamas were to secure the release of British hostages, stop violence spreading to other parts of the Middle East and ensure emergency aid can get to Gaza.
Responding to the post with on of his own, Humza Yousaf, whose Dundee-based in-laws are currently trapped in Gaza, urged Mr Cleverly to call for a ceasefire and the opening of the Rafah crossing in the south of the Gaza Strip.
He said: “Shameful that UK citizens trapped in Gaza don’t even get a mention.
“Might be helpful if you give them at least a passing mention in your discussions.
“They’re trapped in a warzone & need you, Foreign Secretary, to demand a ceasefire, and the Rafah crossing opened to let them out.”
His comments come after the First Minister said his brother-in-law was refusing to go home and rest – despite working for seven consecutive days as a doctor in Gaza – because people “need me”.
In a post on X earlier on Thursday, the First Minister shared a video of bloodied children being treated by medical personnel.
In a message, Mr Yousaf said his wife, Nadia El-Nakla, had implored her brother to go home and rest after working for a week straight.
The First Minister wrote: “My brother-in-law, a doctor in Gaza, is spending his seventh consecutive day in hospital.
“Nadia spoke to him & said he should go home to rest, his response: ‘I can’t leave my people when they need me’.
“Health workers in Gaza are heroes.”
It comes after Mr Yousaf told broadcasters, last week, his brother-in-law had been forced to decide who to treat due to a lack of medical supplies.
Mr Yousaf and Ms El-Nakla have spoken at length about their fears for family in the region.
Ms El-Nakla’s parents, Elizabeth and Maged, visited family in Gaza in the week before the Hamas attack on Israel.
On Wednesday, SNP MP Chris Law told the House of Commons that Elizabeth El-Nakla had said her final goodbyes in a call with her daughter and the First Minister that morning.
According to the MP, she said: “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.”
Mr Yousaf also used his first address to the SNP conference as leader this week to call for the UK Government to set up a refugee resettlement scheme for those seeking to flee Gaza, stating that Scotland could be the first place to take people in.
