Humza Yousaf comforted the mother of a Glasgow man murdered by Hamas as he expressed his solidarity with Scotland's Jewish community.
The First Minister took part in a Service of Solidarity in Giffnock Newton Mearns Synagogue on Thursday night, joining more than 500 members of the community.
READ MORE: Bernard Cowan: Tributes paid to Scot killed by Hamas
The guests included the family of Bernard Cowan. The Newton Mearns man who had been living in Israel for some years, was shot dead in the kitchen of his house over the weekend.
His mother lit a memorial candle in memory of her son.
Speaking to those gathered in the shul, the First Minister said: "I stand in solidarity with Scotland's Jewish community, who have lost members of their community in the senseless and horrific attacks we witnessed last Saturday in Southern Israel.
“I want to send my condolences to the victims and the families of all those affected by this desperate situation.
“At a time of great sorrow and sadness, I want you to be in no doubt whatsoever that I, and the Government I lead, stand with you and with all communities who are mourning the loss of innocent life."
He told the crowd: “Your grief is my grief.”
The First Minister embraced the mother of Bernard Cowan.
The First Minister also spoke of his fears for his wife’s family in Gaza and joined with the community in praying for an end to the pain.
Elizabeth and Maged el-Nakla were visiting family at the time and are now unable to leave.
Mr Yousaf’s brother-in-law is a doctor and lives in Gaza with his wife and four young children, the youngest being two months old.
READ MORE: Maggie Champman 'spoken to' after 'vile' comments on Hamas attack
More details of Bernard Cowan's murder have emerged in recent days.
His brother Colin, who lives in East Kilbride, told Jewish News that Bernard had initially been in the family's safe room.
He said: “We knew Israel had been attacked early on Saturday and we tried to get hold of him.
“We spoke to his son. Apart from Margaret, his wife, fortunately, none of his children or grandchildren were on the kibbutz.
"We sent messages to Margaret but we couldn’t reach her. They had a safe room in their house on the kibbutz.
"Then we got a message from Margaret to say she hadn’t seen him, he’d gone missing.”
Colin said his brother, ”was one of those people who, whenever there was an air raid siren [frequent because of the kibbutz’s proximity to the Gaza border], would say, oh, it’s not going to affect me, and wouldn’t go to the safe room. But when [the terrorists] originally attacked, he went into the safe room with Margaret”.
However, he decided to leave the shelter and went into his house’s kitchen.
“Two terrorists were walking by and they saw him and shot him dead”.
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