WATCH: Plight of Inverness doctor's family trapped in Gaza raised in UK Parliament
An Inverness doctor is terrified for his family who are trapped in Gaza, MPs have been told.
Inverness MP Drew Hendry highlighted the case of Raigmore Hospital paediatric consultant Salim Ghayyda during a Westminster debate about the situation in Israel and Gaza.
Dr Ghayyda is in daily fear for the lives of his elderly parents, brothers and sisters along with his extended family who are living as refugees in grim conditions as they find themselves caught up in the intensifying war.
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Dr Ghayyda, who is desperately trying any means possible to get them to safety, has met Mr Hendry who referred to the case during a parliamentary debate about Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The MP also urged Andrew Mitchell, Minister of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, to consider a scheme for citizens in Gaza similar to the one offered to Ukrainians fleeing conflict in their homeland.
Mr Hendry told MPs that Dr Ghayyda is a UK citizen and has worked for the NHS for 20 years.
"He is terrified for his family, who are trapped in Gaza," he said.
"Unlike other Governments, the UK Government are offering no help to UK citizens who have family stuck in Gaza.
"Will the Government consider a scheme for non-citizens, such as the Ukraine scheme, to help with this desperate situation—this plight for citizens in Gaza?"
Mr Mitchell replied that they had been working with partners to secure passage for all those who wished to leave, including British nationals and their families.
"We have helped to facilitate over 300 British nationals leaving Gaza," he said.
"We are working with Egyptian and Israeli authorities to ensure that any remaining British nationals who want to leave but have not been able to do so previously can do so."
Afterwards, Mr Hendry said: "The Minister's assurances that the UK Government are taking action, don’t match what families like Salim’s are finding in reality.
"Indeed, even my own efforts to make headway with the Foreign Office on their behalf has been met with ‘nothing we can do’ type of responses.
"I will keep on the case to give voice to families like the Ghayyda family."
He has written again to Lord Cameron, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, urging him to support UK families who are terrified for the safety of their loved ones.
"I also intend to present a petition in the House of Commons over the next week or so to show the sheer weight of support Salim and his family have from their local community," Mr Hendry added.
Dr Ghayyda has previously told the Inverness Courier about the plight of 31 family members, including children, who are living in self-built tents or in a cramped flat near Rafah, the border crossing with Egypt, after being uprooted several times.
