First Minister Humza Yousaf says his family are trapped in Gaza after going to visit relatives in the region, with Israel conducting air strikes and ordering a "full siege".

On Friday night militants from Hamas launched an offensive from the Gaza Strip, breaching the fence which surrounds the occupied territory and firing rockets.

Israel stated that at least 700 people had been killed in the attacks, including over 200 at a music festival, and launched a military retaliation which it's reported has killed over 500 Palestinians.

The Israeli government ordered a "complete siege" of the Gaza Strip, shutting off electricity, water and food supplies. Both sides have been accused of targeting civilians, which Amnesty International warned would be a war crime.

Mr Yousaf's wife Nadia El-Nakla's parents were in Gaza visiting family at the time, and the First Minister confirmed they were currently trapped in the region.

Asian Image: Gaza

Speaking to journalists on Monday, Mr Yousaf said: “As many will know, my wife is Palestinian, her mum and dad, my in-laws, who live in Dundee, live in Scotland, they’ve been in Gaza and are currently trapped in Gaza, I’m afraid.”

They went to visit Mr Yousaf’s father in-law’s 92-year-old “elderly and frail” mother, when the Hamas attack took place and have been told by Israeli authorities to leave because “Gaza will effectively be obliterated”, the First Minister said.

“Despite the best efforts of the British Foreign Office, nobody, nobody can guarantee them safe passage anywhere,” he said. “So 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 – whether they will make it through the night or not.

"We cannot sleep – we are constantly watching our phones.

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“When our messages do get through, we’re waiting for a reply.”

“I’m worried about my family – there will be many people, including in Scotland’s Jewish community for example, who will be really worried about their family in Israel that have come to harm.

“My thoughts go out to everybody, because innocent civilians have nothing to do with the conflict, they have nothing to do with Hamas terror, have nothing to do with the loss of life and they’re the ones often – innocent people – who are paying the price.”

Mr Yousaf also issued an “unequivocal condemnation” of the Hamas attack.

He said he does not know how many Scots have been caught up in the fighting in Israel and Gaza.

The First Minister praised communications with the Foreign Office as “good”, but said it was not yet clear who was in the region and how they’ve been impacted.

He said: “I’m afraid not yet.

“I’ve asked both for the situations in terms of any Scottish Israelis that might effected and impacted and any Scots in Gaza that might be impacted.

“I’ve not got numbers yet but liaison with the Foreign Office, I should say, is good, they’ve been helpful in providing information but once I have that I’m sure we’ll be able to furnish you with the details.”