A chink of light in the utter darkness of war

As we collectively struggle to process the bloodshed and horror in the Middle East, we can also sense a little of the relief being felt by First Minister Humza Yousaf and his family given his wife’s parents have now made it out of Gaza and are on their long journey back to Dundee.
By Scotsman editorial comment
Published 4th Nov 2023, 04:55 BST
Elizabeth & Maged El-Nakla have managed to leave Gaza and are on their way back to Scotland. PIC: Yousaf Family Handout/PA WireElizabeth & Maged El-Nakla have managed to leave Gaza and are on their way back to Scotland. PIC: Yousaf Family Handout/PA Wire
Elizabeth & Maged El-Nakla have managed to leave Gaza and are on their way back to Scotland. PIC: Yousaf Family Handout/PA Wire

Few will forget the video of Elizabeth El-Nakla asking “where is humanity” as she described conditions in the Palestinian territory under Israeli bombardment that followed the the Hamas atrocity on October 8. When Mrs El-Nakla asked “Where’s people’s hearts in the world, to let this happen in this day and age?” she perhaps spoke for us all.

Updates of communication blackouts, frantic false alarms and reports of drinking sea water followed – as was the clearly deepening anguish of the Yousaf family who described their situation as a “living nightmare”. It was felt.

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Mrs El-Nakla and her husband Maged - the parents of Mr Yousaf's wife Nadia - were among 200 British nationals thought to have been trapped in Gaza. It is hard to imagine the goodbyes said to their relatives before leaving for the Rafah crossing yesterday. As we wish them the safest of journeys back to Scotland, and a quiet recovery, we also of course think of all those who are unable to leave such dark hell behind – or find peace in their homeland.

Related topics:Humza YousafGazaDundee