Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf's in-laws have left Gaza, after being trapped there for almost a month following Hamas's attack on Israel and its subsequent blockade of the strip.
Elizabeth and Maged El-Nakla, who were on a visit from their home in Scotland to see family, became stuck in Deir Al Balah in central Gaza after Israel sealed the border, preventing anyone from leaving the Palestinian enclave.
Their names were among a list of 92 British citizens seen by The National who are permitted to pass through the crossing into Egypt on Friday. The National, meanwhile, has spoken to families trying to make their way out of Gaza.
Mr Yousaf confirmed the couple had left in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
A statement from Mr Yousaf and his wife on Friday said: “We are very pleased to confirm that Nadia's parents were able to leave Gaza through the Rafah crossing this morning.
“We are very grateful to all of those who have assisted our parents over the last few weeks, including the FCDO (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) crisis team.
“These last four weeks have been a living nightmare for our family, we are so thankful for all of the messages of comfort and prayers that we have received from across the world, and indeed from across the political spectrum in Scotland and the UK.”
The couple said they will continue to call for an immediate ceasefire and the opening of a humanitarian corridor to assist those who have not been able to leave the war-torn territory.
They added: “Although we feel a sense of deep personal relief, we are heartbroken at the continued suffering of the people of Gaza. We will continue to raise our voices to stop the killing and suffering of the innocent people of Gaza.
“We reiterate our calls for all sides to agree to an immediate ceasefire, the opening of a humanitarian corridor so that significant amounts of aid, including fuel, can flow through to a population that have suffered collective punishment for far too long, and for all hostages to be released.
“Families in Gaza and Israel are suffering the loss of entirely innocent men, women and children. We pray for them all, and pray that the international community at last focuses on achieving a lasting peace in the region: one that recognises that the rights and lives of Palestinians and Israelis are equal.”
Other members of Ms El-Nakla's family – who are Palestinian citizens – remain in Gaza, including her brother who has been working as a doctor amid the conflict.
Earlier on Friday, a spokesman for the Scottish government confirmed to The National that the couple were at the Rafah border, waiting to cross.
The list,published overnight by the Palestinian Border Authority, said those named must be “present at 7am in the outdoor halls of the crossing to facilitate their travel”.
Elizabeth El-Nakla, a retired nurse, shared two videos appealing for help during the couple's time in Gaza. In one she said they had no electricity, no water and very little food.
Mr Yousaf had spoken of his fears for his in-laws, last month saying he did “genuinely did not know” whether he would see them again.
Families eager to be reunited with loved ones
Dr Nasser Al Shanti, a senior lecturer at Metropolitan University in Manchester, is awaiting news of his daughter and her family's evacuation.
The last time he heard from them they were waiting for the Rafah crossing to open so they could leave Gaza and start their journey to the UK.
Dr Al Shanti has six siblings living in Gaza.
His daughter, Yosra, studied, met and married her husband, Ibrahim Taha there. She has lived in Gaza for the past seven years.
Ibrahim, Yosra, and their three-year-old child, Ghina, are at Rafah crossing.
Dr Al Shanti has reached out to the UK Foreign Office seeking assistance for his family’s safe passage.
During the first critical days of the crisis, the Foreign Office's response was notably absent, Dr Al Shanti told The National.
However, as the situation has intensified, they have established a dedicated crisis team, he added.
On Thursday, Dr Al-Shanti received confirmation that his family was on the evacuation list and would be safely escorted out if conditions permitted.
A British embassy convoy is positioned on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing, Dr Al Shanti was told, as they prepare to transport evacuees.
Emad Abuaassi, a British-Palestinian, told The National he and his family of five had passed through the Rafah crossing and were on a bus to Cairo.
He described the past few days as extremely stressful and taxing.
Ibrahim Asalya told The National he and his family were stranded in Jabalia, in the northern part of Gaza. They have registered their names with the FCO through the website as directed.
"Our names have been on the list," he said, "and we were instructed to proceed to the crossing."
However, the family's exit was thwarted when they encountered Israeli tanks barricading the route to central Gaza, making their departure from the region impossible.
"The Israeli tanks have blocked the roads," he said. They were told that passage was permitted only for vehicles associated with UNRWA, the Red Crescent and Doctors Without Borders (MSF).
Mr Asalya said about 20 to 25 other British citizens were trapped facing the same predicament.
He said news had spread that another family's attempt to reach the crossing ended in tragedy as they were shot by Israeli tanks.
The British Foreign Office has pledged to provide assistance but warned it cannot guarantee safety.
Mr Asalya added: "Every two or three days, they contact us depending on the information they receive from the Israeli or Egyptian side."
His disappointment with the British response was palpable, especially after being directed to a dedicated British Red Cross phone number for "support". In dire need of food, water and medication, Mr Asalya contacted the aid group, only to be met with the disheartening reality that only "emotional support" was available.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Types of policy
Term life insurance: this is the cheapest and most-popular form of life cover. You pay a regular monthly premium for a pre-agreed period, typically anything between five and 25 years, or possibly longer. If you die within that time, the policy will pay a cash lump sum, which is typically tax-free even outside the UAE. If you die after the policy ends, you do not get anything in return. There is no cash-in value at any time. Once you stop paying premiums, cover stops.
Whole-of-life insurance: as its name suggests, this type of life cover is designed to run for the rest of your life. You pay regular monthly premiums and in return, get a guaranteed cash lump sum whenever you die. As a result, premiums are typically much higher than one term life insurance, although they do not usually increase with age. In some cases, you have to keep up premiums for as long as you live, although there may be a cut-off period, say, at age 80 but it can go as high as 95. There are penalties if you don’t last the course and you may get a lot less than you paid in.
Critical illness cover: this pays a cash lump sum if you suffer from a serious illness such as cancer, heart disease or stroke. Some policies cover as many as 50 different illnesses, although cancer triggers by far the most claims. The payout is designed to cover major financial responsibilities such as a mortgage or children’s education fees if you fall ill and are unable to work. It is cost effective to combine it with life insurance, with the policy paying out once if you either die or suffer a serious illness.
Income protection: this pays a replacement income if you fall ill and are unable to continue working. On the best policies, this will continue either until you recover, or reach retirement age. Unlike critical illness cover, policies will typically pay out for stress and musculoskeletal problems such as back trouble.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Keane on …
Liverpool’s Uefa Champions League bid: “They’re great. With the attacking force they have, for me, they’re certainly one of the favourites. You look at the teams left in it - they’re capable of scoring against anybody at any given time. Defensively they’ve been good, so I don’t see any reason why they couldn’t go on and win it.”
Mohamed Salah’s debut campaign at Anfield: “Unbelievable. He’s been phenomenal. You can name the front three, but for him on a personal level, he’s been unreal. He’s been great to watch and hopefully he can continue now until the end of the season - which I’m sure he will, because he’s been in fine form. He’s been incredible this season.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s instant impact at former club LA Galaxy: “Brilliant. It’s been a great start for him and for the club. They were crying out for another big name there. They were lacking that, for the prestige of LA Galaxy. And now they have one of the finest stars. I hope they can go win something this year.”
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
AndhaDhun
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18
Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan
Rating: 3.5/5
More on Quran memorisation:
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The specs
The specs: 2019 Audi Q8
Price, base: Dh315,000
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 340hp @ 3,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 2,250rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.7L / 100km
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
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RESULTS
Cagliari 5-2 Fiorentina
Udinese 0-0 SPAL
Sampdoria 0-0 Atalanta
Lazio 4-2 Lecce
Parma 2-0 Roma
Juventus 1-0 AC Milan
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
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Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Profile
Company name: Jaib
Started: January 2018
Co-founders: Fouad Jeryes and Sinan Taifour
Based: Jordan
Sector: FinTech
Total transactions: over $800,000 since January, 2018
Investors in Jaib's mother company Alpha Apps: Aramex and 500 Startups
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Tips for used car buyers
- Choose cars with GCC specifications
- Get a service history for cars less than five years old
- Don’t go cheap on the inspection
- Check for oil leaks
- Do a Google search on the standard problems for your car model
- Do your due diligence. Get a transfer of ownership done at an official RTA centre
- Check the vehicle’s condition. You don’t want to buy a car that’s a good deal but ends up costing you Dh10,000 in repairs every month
- Validate warranty and service contracts with the relevant agency and and make sure they are valid when ownership is transferred
- If you are planning to sell the car soon, buy one with a good resale value. The two most popular cars in the UAE are black or white in colour and other colours are harder to sell
Tarek Kabrit, chief executive of Seez, and Imad Hammad, chief executive and co-founder of CarSwitch.com
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m, Winner: ES Rubban, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ibrahim Aseel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 (T) 1,200m, Winner: Al Mobher, Sczcepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: Jabalini, Tadhg O’Shea, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: AF Abahe, Tadgh O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: AF Makerah, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Law Of Peace, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
Disability on screen
Empire — neuromuscular disease myasthenia gravis; bipolar disorder; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Rosewood and Transparent — heart issues
24: Legacy — PTSD;
Superstore and NCIS: New Orleans — wheelchair-bound
Taken and This Is Us — cancer
Trial & Error — cognitive disorder prosopagnosia (facial blindness and dyslexia)
Grey’s Anatomy — prosthetic leg
Scorpion — obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety
Switched at Birth — deafness
One Mississippi, Wentworth and Transparent — double mastectomy
Dragons — double amputee
Destroyer
Director: Karyn Kusama
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Sebastian Stan
Rating: 3/5
UAE release: January 31
