Scottish first minister 'cannot sleep' as parents-in-law caught up in Israel-Gaza war

Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf on Monday said he "cannot sleep" as he revealed that his wife's parents have been caught up in the aftermath of Hamas' weekend attack on Israel.

Yousaf's wife Nadia El-Nakla is Palestinian and her parents, who live in Dundee, northeast Scotland, were visiting family in Gaza.

"They've been in Gaza and are currently trapped in Gaza, I'm afraid," he told reporters.

Yousaf, who in March became the first Muslim leader of a government in Western Europe, said the Israeli authorities had told his parents-in-law to leave but not guaranteed safe passage.

"I'm in a situation where, frankly, night by night, day by day, we don't know whether or not my mother-in-law and father-in-law, who have nothing to do, as most Gazans don't, with Hamas or with any terror attack... will make it through the night or not," he said.

He added: "We cannot sleep. We are constantly watching our phones."

Yousaf condemned the Hamas attack and said his concerns would be mirrored by Scotland's Jewish community and their worries for family, AFP reported.

"Innocent civilians" on both sides "are paying the price", he added.

The Gaza-based resistance group Hamas launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel early Saturday, firing a barrage of rockets, Anadolu reported. It said the surprise attack was in response to the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and increased settler violence.

In retaliation, the Israeli army launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The war that has entered its fourth day has resulted in the killing of at least 800 Israelis and over 2,300 others wounded in the fighting, according to the Israeli Health Ministry.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian Health Ministry said that over 560 Palestinians died and over 2,900 were wounded.