Scotland’s former First Minister Humza Yousaf has warned that Israel is “out of control” and urged the international community to take urgent action over its escalating assault on Gaza.
Yousaf’s remarks came in response to Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz’s recent “final warning” to the people of Gaza, which Yousaf condemned as a “death sentence” for Palestinians trapped in the war-torn enclave.
In a video shared on X, Yousaf described Katz’s chilling remarks – in which he threatened Gaza’s population with “obliteration” – as deeply alarming.
“This isn’t a warning. It’s a death sentence,” Yousaf said, adding that after more than 17 months of Israeli bombardment, civilians in Gaza have “nowhere left to run”.
Over 61,700 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its war on the enclave, according to local health officials, with the majority being women and children.
“The people of Gaza, they don’t need warnings they need peace, and they need it now,” Yousaf said.
He called on the international community to step in immediately, demand a ceasefire, and ensure the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave.
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“The international community must finally realise that their ally, Israel, is out of control,” he said.
Yousaf also spoke about the plight of people in the Gaza Strip, highlighting the destruction of entire neighbourhoods and families, the shutdown of two-thirds of medical facilities, and Israel’s Ramadan aid blockade.
The politician said that, in light of this, “the innocent people of Gaza, who committed no crime, are being told that this is their final warning”.
Yousaf urged the international community to take immediate action against Israel, calling for a ceasefire and demanding that aid be delivered swiftly to the enclave.
“With over 18,000 children already killed, how many more must die until we act?” Yousaf said. “Our failure over the last 17 months should condemn us all.”
On Wednesday, Katz threatened the people of Gaza with “complete destruction and devastation” if the captives were not released, suggesting collective punishment.
“Residents of Gaza, this is a final warning,” the defence minister said in a video broadcast.
“If all the Israeli [captives] are not released and Hamas is not eliminated from Gaza, Israel will act with forces you have never known before.
“Take the advice of the US President. Return the hostages and eliminate Hamas, and other options will open up for you – including going to other places in the world for those who wish. The alternative is complete destruction and devastation.”
The minister was referring to an earlier warning made by US President Donald Trump, who said that if captives were held, they were “DEAD”.
This came as Israel resumed its ground operations in central and southern Gaza, creating a partial buffer between the north and south of the enclave — breaking the ceasefire that had been agreed upon in January, which only lasted 58 days.
