The Australian Government has announced repatriation flights for Australians who are in Israel.
An estimated 10,000 Australian residents and tourists were believed to be in Israel when Hamas attacked on Saturday night. Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong said the flights will be supplied by Qantas, free of charge.
“Australian Government assisted-departure flights will depart from Ben Gurion Airport [near Tel Aviv] starting Friday for Australians who do not already have plans to leave through commercial options,” she said.
The flights will send Australians from Ben Gurion Airport to London, with more options to be announced.
Australians who want to leave Israel via government-assisted flights should register by calling the Australian Government’s 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 (from overseas) or 1300 555 135 (from within Australia). Those who are in Israel and Gaza who cannot reach Ben Gurion Airport should contact the Consular Emergency Centre for assistance.
“We are assessing all options to get Australians home as soon as possible who wish to travel back here,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday.
“There are so many Australians in the area that it’s not completely clear how many are there, let alone how many are unaccounted for.”
Earlier this year, the Australian Government coordinated the repatriation of 200 Australians in Sudan, as conflict escalated.
Photo: VH-OQK_A388_Qantas by Luc Verkuringen available HERE and used under a Creative Commons license. This image has not been modified.
