'Willing to be a place of sanctuary': Scotland First Minister says ready to welcome Gaza refugees

Scotland is ready to offer asylum to the people of Gaza who have been displaced in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, the country's first minister Humza Yousaf said on Wednesday. "The people of Gaza are a proud people. Many don't want to leave, and shouldn't have to. But for those displaced, who want to leave, there should be a worldwide refugee scheme. Scotland is willing to be a place of sanctuary and be the first country to take those refugees," he said in a tweet.

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With this, Scotland has become the first country to welcome war-hit Palestinians. In Scotland, the first minister is the head of the government and holds an office equivalent to that of the Prime Minister. "We have welcomed those from Syria, from Ukraine, and many other countries, and we must do so again," Yousaf said in a video message shared on X, formerly Twitter. "Scotland is willing to be the first country in the UK to offer safety and sanctuary to those who are caught up in these terrible attacks," he added.

Yousaf, who is the head of the Scottish cabinet, urged the UK government to take two urgent steps. He said the UK should immediately begin work on the creation of a refugee resettlement scheme for those in Gaza who want to and, of course, are able to leave. He urged the Sunak government to "support the medical evacuation of injured civilians" in Gaza.

"Let me be clear, Scotland is ready to play her part. Our hospitals will treat the injured men, women, and children of Gaza, where we can," he said.

While announcing his country's willingness to welcome Palestinian refugees, he also informed that some of his relatives were trapped in Gaza. He said his parents-in-law were "trapped" in Gaza, where Israel has been targeting Hamas targets since last Saturday. Yousaf said Israel has the right to defend itself but he said it was imposing collective punishment in Gaza, violating international laws.

While Scotland has decided to accept refugees from Gaza, there is no word on this from the UK. Scotland has an autonomous governance system but is part of the UK. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has backed Israel in its fight against Hamas in Gaza but has not said anything about the refugee crisis that may emerge out of the war.

In fact, many European countries have witnessed pro-Palestinian protests in the past few days that have made them wary of any influx of refugees.