Israel Gaza conflict: Scottish footballer Clark Robertson tells of escape

Clark Robertson is now safely back in Aberdeen

A Scottish footballer who plays for a team in Israel has told how he had to flee the country when it came under attack from Hamas.

Clark Robertson, a former Aberdeen player, recently signed for MS Ashdod.

He is now home in Aberdeen after club officials told him to leave the country in the wake of the weekend attacks.

Since then the death toll in Israel has reached 1,200, with more than 1,000 people killed by Israeli air strikes on Gaza.

Seventeen British nationals, including children, are dead or missing follow the attack on Israel.

Among them is Bernard Cowan, who grew up in Glasgow before settling in Israel with his wife and three children.

Attacks were launched at the weekend

Mr Robertson, 30, slept on the floor of Tel Aviv airport on Saturday night before being able to secure a flight to safety.

He told BBC Scotland News: "It was a big shock for everyone, a very worrying time."

On Friday evening the team stayed in the north of Israel ahead of a game on Saturday evening.

"I got woken up by my teammate at 8am to say that the game was off, he said Israel was under attack," Mr Robertson explained.

"At that time I don't think anyone realised how serious it was because they're used to rockets.

"Once we found out on Saturday morning it was all kicking off, we got back on the bus to Ashdod which is about 20 minutes from Gaza, which probably wasn't the safest thing to do but I think the club acted professionally and quickly."

Clark Robertson has played for clubs including Aberdeen and Portsmouth

He said the club told all its foreign players to get their passports, pack their suitcases and get to the airport as soon as possible.

After spending the night at the airport, he flew to Budapest on Sunday evening and came back to Aberdeen on Monday.

The footballer said: "A couple of rockets hit Ashdod yesterday actually. We've got a group chat with all the players, I think they're all OK, they are all safe.

"Nobody knows what's going to happen in the coming days, weeks and months really. I don't know when I'm going to be going back out there."

More on Hamas-Israel attacks

• Bowen: Inside Israeli border village where Hamas killed families in their homes

• Gaza: Nowhere safe in Gaza as Israeli strikes intensify

• Festival: Verified video and social media reveal how massacre unfolded

• Explained: What's going on in Gaza and Israel, and why now?

The former Blackpool, Rotherham United and Portsmouth player added: "I think I'm the first Scotsman to go over and play there, that was a very proud moment for me. In the last three months I've loved living in Israel, it's an amazing place.

"When my agent told me about the interest from Ashdod, and a couple of other Israeli clubs, I started doing my research obviously. My mum was probably a bit more worried than me.

"Nobody saw this attack coming. Hopefully I can get back and do what I love doing, when it's safe to do so.

"Hopefully there can be some sort of resolution soon, some sort of normality."