Moment Humza Yousaf’s mother-in-law breaks down in tears as she describes harrowing three weeks trapped in Gaza where she thought she would be killed amid Israel bombardment

• Elizabeth and Maged El-Nakla were visiting family during the October 7 attack

Humza Yousaf’s mother-in-law broke down in tears during an interview where she described her harrowing ordeal while she was trapped in Gaza for three weeks. 

Elizabeth and Maged El-Nakla, the parents of the Scottish First Minister’s wife Nadia, were visiting relatives last month when Israel laid siege to the territory following the October 7 Hamas terror attack. 

Ms El-Nakla, from Dundee, said she and her husband experienced a ‘living nightmare’ after they were left trapped in the Palestinian territory for weeks, at times thinking that they were going to die. 

The couple were able to return to Scotland earlier this month after being permitted to pass through the Rafah border crossing into Egypt.

Ms El-Nakla told Sky News about the harrowing ordeal but was overcome with emotion during the interview as she admitted it is ‘such a relief’ to be home but expressed that she had ‘left her heart in Gaza’. 

Elizabeth and Maged El-Nakla (Pictured together), the parents of the Scottish First Minister’s wife Nadia, were visiting relatives last month when Israel laid siege to the territory following the October 7 Hamas terror attack

Ms El-Nakla told Sky News about the harrowing ordeal but was overcome with emotion during the interview as she said it is ‘such a relief’ to be home but she had also ‘left her heart in Gaza’

First Minister Humza Yousaf tweeted this family photo after his in-laws were able to return to Scotland earlier this month

Ms El-Nakla told Sky News: ‘It still feels very surreal, waking up in the middle of the night and I hear silence and in the dark. And then I remember I’m at home and that I’m safe.

READ MORE: Humza Yousaf reveals his in-laws are ‘safe’ and back in Britain after they were ‘trapped’ in Gaza as Israel pounded Palestinian enclave 

‘I feel very grateful for that. I walk down to my sister-in-law, who lives five minutes away, in the rain, in the dark, but feeling safe.

‘I think no-one can understand how that makes you feel when you’ve been in a situation where you think that you may die.

‘Unfortunately, until our family and the people that we know and love and everyone in Gaza are safe, I don’t think we will get it. And I think my life has changed forever.’

Speaking of the conflict, Ms El-Nakla said: ‘I wouldn’t wish that situation on my worst enemy.’

The couple managed the leave the region on November 3 after two failed attempts.

The SNP leader confirmed they were among an almost 100-strong group permitted to enter Egypt through the Rafah border crossing in southern Gaza.

Ms El-Nakla spoke of losing hope ‘so many times’, also telling of fears about never getting home.

Ms El-Nakla told Sky News taht its feeels ‘very surreal’ to be back home after being stuck in Gaza for three weeks

Ms El-Nakla spoke of losing hope ‘so many times’, also telling of fears about never getting home

Humza Yousaf embraces his wife Councillor Nadia El-Nakla after shegave a speech calling for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid to be made available to civilians in Gaza on October 15

She added: ‘I hadn’t slept for 48 hours. I hadn’t slept for nearly three weeks. And you’re just so relieved. But you still don’t believe it and you’re so exhausted.

‘Then you get on the bus and you see all these happy children. We were given a bottle of water and a pack of biscuits. And it is such a relief. You can’t imagine.

‘But, again, your heart is torn. I left my heart in Gaza and I didn’t bring it home with me.’

The siege of Gaza has left food, water, fuel and medical supplies running dangerously low in the territory, which is home to more than 2.3 million people.

Mr Yousaf’s wife, Nadia El-Nakla, has reported her parents were without clean drinking water and faced ‘rapidly diminishing supplies’.

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