Australians have been warned to leave Lebanon as tensions escalate between Israel and Hamas – amid fears Hezbollah could get involved in the conflict.
Foreign Affairs minister Penny Wong warned Aussies on Sunday that commercial flights may not be available out of the country in a crisis.
‘I am now saying to Australians, if you are in Lebanon you should consider whether your need to remain there is essential,’ she said.
‘Again, if you are in Lebanon please consider whether your need to remain there is essential.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong (pictured) has warned Australians to leave Lebanon
‘If you wish to leave, you should know that a crisis could limit commercial options for departure and you should consider the first available option.’
The warning comes after the government changed its travel advice for Israel, Gaza, and the Gaza border earlier this month.
Australians are advised to reconsider travel to Israel and not to travel to Gaza or the Gaza border.
Meanwhile, the Federal government has been scrambling more rescue flights to help Australians who want to leave Israel.
Senator Wong said Australian Defence Force planes had been called in to help after many commercial flights were cancelled.
‘I can confirm that the Australian Government is planning multiple flights to depart from Tel Aviv today for Australians wanting to leave,’ she said on Sunday.
‘This is a mixture of government chartered and Air Force planes. I want to stress, these flights remain subject to factors including the security environment.
‘We are also coordinating options with partners who are held helping their own citizens with departures.’
People gather in a neighbourhood in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, after it was hit by an Israeli strike on October 15
A fireball erupts during Israeli bombardment in the northern Gaza Strip on October 14
Senator Wong said the government is ‘doing all we can’ to help Australians stuck in Gaza and is working with officials in Cairo to facilitate an evacuation.
‘We support the work being done by Egypt and others to make the crossing available for humanitarian purposes, including the outward passage of civilians,’ she said.
‘We have engaged, including me personally, with our Egyptian counterparts and the Israelis to this end.
‘Yesterday a proposed window for approved foreign nationals to cross through the Rafah Border did not eventuate and the Rafah Border remains closed at this time.
‘I want to say I know how distressing this is for Australians in Gaza and I want to reiterate our commitment to do everything we can with others to ensure that the border is open.’
Two scheduled flights out of Israel were scrapped on Saturday citing a ‘highly challenging and rapidly changing’ environment.
More than 800 Australians were aboard the first government assisted flight that landed in London late on Friday local time.
About 10,000 Australians, many who are dual citizens and not seeking to leave, are currently in Israel.
Defence Minister Richard Marles said the number of Australians who wanted to leave Israel was in the ‘high hundreds’.
Israeli troops prepare weapons and armed vehicles near the southern city of Ashkelon on October 15
He told the ABC military planes would have greater flexibility than commercial options but circumstances, such as whether Israel’s airspace remained open, could complicate matters.
‘We are positioned, we have the intent to put in place flights very soon, almost immediately,’ he said.
‘There is some greater flexibility that military flights offer in this circumstance.’
Israeli forces on Saturday said it was preparing for ‘significant ground operations’ in Gaza in response to the deadly October 7 attack by Hamas.
Mr Marles said Israel had a right to defend itself but must ‘do that in a way where it acts in accordance with the rules of war’, later clarifying that he believed they were.
Liberal MP Julian Leeser said Australia needed to reconsider its diplomatic ties with Iran.
‘Anybody who doesn’t think Iran has been supporting and financing Hamas over the years just hasn’t been paying attention,’ he told the ABC.
‘Iran is the great disrupter in the Middle East, it’s disrupting Lebanon, it’s disrupting Syria. It is a malevolent force.
‘I think our support for Iran, our maintaining diplomatic relations, in a sense gives Iran a level of support and global acceptance that I think we should question.’
Australians overseas needing 24/7 emergency consular assistance are urged to call +61 2 6261 3305
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