45 Australians Stranded in Gaza

45 Australians have made contact with the Australian government. Richard Marles said their situation looks extremely difficult.

Rubble litters a street between smoldering buildings hit by an Israeli airstrike in Jabaliya, Gaza Strip, on Oct. 11, 2023. Hatem Moussa/AP Photo

At least 45 Australians are stuck on the ground in Gaza in a difficult situation amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Hamas terrorists launched an attack on Israel on Oct. 7, killing at least 1,400 Israelis and kidnapping 155 people, including babies and the elderly. In recent hours, the Israel Defense Forces struck Hezbollah military infrastructure in Lebanon following a shooting towards Israeli territory.

The Australian Government is working with the global community to set up a humanitarian corridor out of Gaza.

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed there are multiple Aussies stuck in Gaza.

“We have about 45 Australians who have made contact with us in Gaza. Their situation is obviously extremely difficult,” Mr. Marles told ABC News.

“We are looking at ways in which and working very hard to find ways in which we can get those people to safety, and that obviously includes working with other countries around the establishment of a humanitarian corridor out of Gaza.”

The Australians in Gaza include families and it is unclear if they have all been able to make their way to the border crossing.

“Clearly, we have been encouraging them, however, to move south, given what Israel has said. That has been part of the work that we have been doing with them. But I can’t actually confirm where all of those 45 are right now,” Mr. Marles said.

“That hasn’t happened yet, but we are doing what we can in very challenging circumstances.”

Early on Friday, the Israeli military told the United Nations that 1.1 million Gaza residents should relocate to the south.

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong attend a press conference at Queensland Government House in Brisbane, Australia, on July 29, 2023. Pat Hoelscher/AFP via Getty Images

Repatriation Flights

Meanwhile, the Australian Government has assisted 700 people to leave Israel on flights thus far, of which 600 are from Australia.

Two extra flights carrying 194 people left Ben Gurion Airport in Israel for Dubai overnight. Of these people, 96 are from Pacific nations.

“We don’t have any more flights planned. We believe that these flights do meet the immediate demand on the part of Australians to leave Israel,” Mr. Marles said.

“That said, we are keeping a couple of Air Force planes in the region as a contingency over the coming days.”

Fears of Iran Involvement

Meanwhile, Iran warned it could launch “pre-emptive action” in the coming hours if Israel targets the people of Gaza, raising alarm bells.

“The resistance front is capable of waging a long-term war with the enemy (Israel)... in the coming hours, we can expect a preemptive action by the resistance front,” Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said on television, reported Reuters.

“Leaders of the Resistance will not allow the Zionist regime to take any action in Gaza. ... All options are open and we cannot be indifferent to the war crimes committed against the people of Gaza.”

In response, Mr. Marles urged Iran not to get involved in the conflict.

“I think the whole world is concerned, we’re certainly concerned that this does not spread beyond the immediate conflicts between Israel and Hamas in Gaza,” he said.

“To that end, we would definitely be urging Iran not to involve itself. It’s really important that this does not widen. But clearly, there is an anxiety that all of us feel about where this may head.”