Key Points
- Australians and their families have touched down in Sydney on a government-assisted flight after fleeing Lebanon.
- A second repatriation flight carrying 220 people is expected to arrive on Tuesday.
- Thousands of Australians have registered for government assistance to flee Lebanon amid ongoing violence.
More than 1,200 Australians, permanent residents and immediate family members have been evacuated from Lebanon as the federal government continues to urge people to leave.
Six Australian government flights have ferried people to safety, while a further 3,892 Australians and their families are registered to depart, with vulnerable and displaced passengers prioritised.
Two flights are scheduled to leave Beirut on Tuesday, with a Qantas flight from Cyprus expected to bring up to 220 people back to Australia.
Hundreds of Australians arrived in Sydney on Monday following evacuations from Lebanon as Israel continues its bombardment of Hezbollah targets.
Another Qantas flight is expected to arrive in Australia on Thursday.
In emotional scenes at Sydney Airport on Monday, 349 travellers were reunited with their families and loved ones.
Bilal Nassour, who arrived on the government-sponsored flight, told SBS News his house in Lebanon had been destroyed shortly after he fled.
“I was under fire, it was a crisis moment for us,” he said.
“I couldn’t find any way to go out if the Australian government didn’t bring us.
“Yesterday my house was hit. I left on Saturday, and yesterday the area I was living … all destroyed.”
Dana Hamieh said she was grateful for the evacuation flights to Australia.
“We are very heartbroken, we are very exhausted after three days of no sleep, but at least now I know my kids are safe,” she said.
“When we left, it was terrifying … imagine you’ve been bombed, our houses have been bombed, our rooms have been bombed, no more neighbours … I never knew the importance of having this passport until today.”
Families were reunited at Sydney Airport on Monday night.
The intensified violence reignited concerns for Australians in Lebanon, with the federal government urging citizens and permanent residents to leave before the situation deteriorates further.
In two weeks, Israel’s bombing campaign has killed more than 1400 Lebanese people and left another 1.2 million without homes.
This new front in Israel’s war opened after a year of violence in Gaza.
On 7 October 2023, Hamas led an attack on Israel, killing 1,200 and taking more than 200 hostage, according to the Israeli government.
In response, Israel has bombed and invaded Gaza while laying siege to its population, killing more than 41,000 people and leaving most of the territory’s residents displaced and facing starvation.
More than 900 Australians have been helped to leave Lebanon, and thousands have registered with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for assistance.
The federal government is working to secure further seats on commercial airlines out of Lebanon, but Foreign Minister Penny Wong noted flights out “are subject to security and operational restrictions”.
–Additional reporting by the Australian Associated Press
