Key Points
- The Australian government will start flying home citizens from Friday.
- There will be two initial flights from Tel Aviv to London, with additional options to come.
- The violence has claimed more than 1,800 lives.
Australians stranded in Israel will be able to take repatriation flights home as the death toll rises from Hamas' surprise dawn attack on Saturday night.
An estimated 10,000 Australian residents and tourists were believed to be in Israel when the Islamist militant group launched the assault.
Australian authorities are still trying to ascertain their status and bring home those who want to leave.
Over subsequent days, many airlines cancelled or suspended flights to Tel Aviv.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced the government will begin flying home citizens from Friday.
"My government will begin the assisted departure of Australians who want to leave Israel," he told reporters in Melbourne on Wednesday.
"We are assessing all options to get Australians home as soon as possible who wish to travel back here."
Albanese said there would be two initial flights from Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv to London, with additional options to come.
Australians who want to make use of those assisted departure flights must register with the .
Albanese thanked Qantas for making their facilities available for those flights and the efforts of Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong and Transport Minister Catherine King.
However, the number of Australians in the area presents an issue for repatriation efforts.
"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," Albanese said.
It comes after Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed the death of Australian grandmother Galit Carbone on Wednesday morning. Carbone, 66, was killed at the Be'eri kibbutz, about nine kilometres from the Gaza Strip, after militant group Hamas launched deadly land and air attacks on Israel's southern border on Saturday.
Wong conveyed her deepest condolences to Carbone's family and their loved ones.
"The Australian Government has received confirmation of the tragic death of Galit Carbone, an Australian citizen murdered in the attacks on Israel by terrorist group Hamas," Wong said in a statement on Wednesday.
"The loss of life from these attacks has been devastating and unacceptable. Australia has called for the attacks to stop and for the immediate and unconditional release of all those taken hostage.
"Our thoughts are with all those killed and injured in these attacks and all others affected. Australia continues to urge the protection of civilian lives at all times."
Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil said the news was "heartbreaking".
"What's happened here is a senseless act of violence ... and the Australian government condemns it in the strongest possible terms."
Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil said "we are looking at all options at the moment" amid calls for repatriation flights. Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas
"These are simple questions that need pretty significant contemplation about the best way to keep Australians safe," he told reporters in Brisbane.
O'Neil and Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus will meet with Jewish community leaders and security experts on Thursday in Melbourne.
The violence, which has claimed more than 1,800 lives, prompted international declarations of support and public demonstrations for both Israelis and Palestinians and appeals for an end to the fighting and protection of civilians.
The significant escalation is the latest in a long-standing conflict between Hamas and Israel.
Hamas is a Palestinian military and political group, gaining power in the Gaza Strip since winning legislative elections there in 2006.
Its stated aim is to establish a Palestinian state, while refusing to recognise Israel’s right to exist.
Hamas, in its entirety, is designated as a terrorist organisation by countries including Australia, Canada, the UK and the US.
Some countries list only its military wing as a terrorist group.
The UN though did not condemn Hamas in its entirety as a terrorist organisation, due to insufficient support from member states to do so during a 2018 vote.
Australians in Israel had earlier expressed frustration at the government for not offering a safe pathway home.
Keanu Vincente told ABC TV he felt stranded. "Especially when I'm seeing constant other repatriation flights coming from other countries," he said.
"So it would feel a lot safer and a lot more guaranteed to have the Australian government doing those flights for all of the Australians here."
Asher Lilley, who is stranded in Tel Aviv with her sister, says the situation is terrifying. The pair have a commercial flight booked but are worried about cancellations.
Australians are trying to flee Israel after rocket fire from Gaza destroyed buildings. Source: AP / Ohad Zwigenberg
She said she was told by the Australian embassy "we hope it works out" when she made contact and told them she had a commercial flight booked.
"(It was) as if we just missed a flight whereas we're stuck in a literal war zone," she said.
"The communication has been shocking and it's just not good enough ... what's the point of having an embassy if they're not doing their job?
"We need to do better - it's so scary being stuck in a war zone, we just want to get out, we just want to get home."
