Repatriation flights bringing Australians home from war in Israel and Gaza have been suspended as the federal government scrambles to find alternative options.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed the flight cancellations on Saturday, citing a “highly challenging and rapidly changing” environment.
“Unfortunately, we have been advised our scheduled flights will not depart Israel today,” DFAT’s Smart Traveller Facebook page states.
“A further flight will not depart as scheduled tomorrow.
“The Australian government is working to ensure Australians who want to leave can do so as soon as possible.”
Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed the government was looking at “alternatives” to get Australians back from the region.
“There is a limit to what I can publicly say,” he said in an appearance on the ABC’s Voice Referendum coverage.
“We’ll continue to work this issue as we are and we’re working it very hard.”
Australia has joined a chorus of international voices calling on Israel to avoid civilian casualties in Gaza as hundreds of citizens have fled the country.
Foreign Affairs minister Penny Wong urged Israeli authorities to respect the International rules of law and allow humanitarian access in the Gaza Strip.
She has also announced Australia will provide an initial $10m in humanitarian assistance for civilians affected by the conflict in Gaza.
“President Biden himself has called on Israel to operate by the international rules of law. I join him, Australia joins him and others in that call,” she said on Saturday.
“We continue to engage with other countries, in an effort, alongside others to ensure the conflict doesn’t spread and to seek to avert the humanitarian situation deteriorating further.”
Senator Wong also condemned Hamas’ “brutal” and “abhorrent” attack, saying the international community knows it doesn’t represent the Palestinian people.
“We know Hamas is a brutal organisation we know it doesn’t represent the Palestinian people,” she said.
“One of the many tragedies of what Hamas has done, is that they have undermined the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people themselves and they have pushed peace further from reach.”
The minister also outlined Australia will provide $3m to the International Committee of the Red Cross to fund urgent needs like restoring essential services and providing medical support to victims of the conflict.
A further $7m to deliver critical support including emergency water, nutrition, sanitation and hygiene services, as well as child protection will be provided through United Nations agencies.
Repatriation flights for Aussies start
Her comments come as a group of 238 Australian citizens was successfully flown out of Israel on Friday afternoon, joining more than 800 who have already left the country and occupied territories.
But two other flights scheduled for the weekend have been put on hold.
Speaking from Heathrow Airport on Saturday, Blake Jory described his relief and seeing fellow evacuees “smile for the first time” on-board Qantas’ first mercy flight.
“Mate it’s hard to believe I was just in that situation in Israel actually,” he told Channel 9’s Weekend Today.
“It’s very surreal, you know, leaving was a really difficult decision for me to make because my partner is there. I definitely feel some relief. I’m feeling much better, a lot safer.”
Senator Wong said she was “relieved” that hundreds of Australians are on their way home.
“We are moving quickly to secure more options for Australians who want to leave Israel or the occupied territories,” she said.
“About 825 Australians have departed Israel and the occupied territories.”
The next flight out of Israel had been expected to land in Tel Aviv on Saturday (local time) and fly to Dubai before the passengers fly on to Australia.
“To all Australians who are in Israel, or Gaza, if you wish to leave, please do not delay. If you wish to leave, please take the first available flight,” she said.
The flight comes as Israel’s military ordered about 1.1 million Palestinian civilians to evacuate northern Gaza within 24 hours ahead of an expected ground invasion.
More than 1600 people, including dual nationals and tourists stuck in the conflict, have registered for repatriation flights including from Gaza and the West Bank.
According to deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, there are about 10,000 Australian citizens living in Israel, many of whom are dual nationals, with most wishing to remain.
Mr Jory said the mood aboard the Qantas flight was “actually really positive”, with many people smiling for the first time since Hamas launched a devastating terror attack on October 7.
“Coming from the conflict in Israel and seeing, you know, these horrible things happen,” he said.
“You know the streets are empty … people are down, people, you know, are not in good moods over there.
“Qantas was making everyone feel really comfortable and they were doing such a good job.”
The Sunshine Coast man, who had been visiting his partner for the past two months, said leaving Israel was a “extremely tough” decision, but one he had made with his partner.
“I’m just praying for her and thinking about her every second,” he said.
“She wants to fight for her country and defend her people. After what happened on Saturday, I don’t blame her.”