The 255 passengers journeyed on three charter flights departing from Tel Aviv, consisting of two RAAF planes and one privately contracted flight. The first government-chartered flight took off from Tel Aviv at 1.30 pm local time on Sunday (9.30 pm AEDT), heading towards Dubai. Despite concerted efforts to facilitate the departure of Palestinian Australians from Gaza, some have reported difficulty in reaching rescue buses bound for Jordan. Two prearranged evacuation flights for stranded Australians in Israel were canceled on Saturday due to growing concerns of escalating violence in the region. She noted ongoing diplomatic engagements with the United States, Israel, and Egypt to facilitate the passage of Australians out of Gaza.

Source: The Guardian October 16, 2023 23:13 UTC