Yousaf welcomes opening of Rafah crossing but in-laws still trapped in Gaza

Foreign nationals have been seen passing through the border into Egypt.

First Minister Humza Yousaf said his wife’s parents are still trapped in Gaza (Jane Barlow/PA) (PA Wire)

Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf has welcomed the opening of the Rafah crossing to allow people to leave the Gaza Strip, but his in-laws remain trapped with “dwindling supplies”, a spokesman has said.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said on Wednesday that teams are ready to help British nationals flee the territory after some foreign passport holders were seen using the crossing into Egypt in the south of the Gaza Strip.

But a spokesman for the First Minister said it is the Scottish Government’s understanding that Britons will not yet be allowed to leave.

Mr Yousaf’s parents-in-law Elizabeth and Maged El-Nakla, from Dundee, travelled to Gaza to visit family before the conflict erupted and are now trapped there, facing Israeli bombardment and shortages of water and other vital supplies.

In a statement, the spokesman said: “We welcome that the Rafah crossing looks set to be opened for a number of foreign nationals.

“This is obviously a developing situation, but our understanding at this stage is that UK nationals are not at present included in this initial list of countries whose nationals can cross.

“The First Minister has been in contact with the Foreign Secretary this morning.

“We continue to liaise with the UK Government and urge them to work with the Egyptian authorities so that all UK nationals can urgently leave Gaza as quickly as possible.

“The First Minister’s wife, Nadia, spoke to her mother this morning. The family remains trapped in Gaza, without clean drinking water, and rapidly diminishing supplies.”