A South Australian family who became stuck in war-torn Gaza has safely returned home in Adelaide after fleeing the region earlier this week.
Key points:
- An Adelaide family who were stuck in Gaza for weeks have returned home
- The family were on holiday visiting relatives in Gaza when the conflict broke out
- They were among 20 Australians who were let in to Egypt at the Rafah border crossing
The family of four were greeted by loved ones after their flight from Doha arrived at Adelaide Airport late this afternoon.
They were visiting relatives in Gaza for the first time in 12 years when Hamas launched its terrorist attack on Israel on October 7.
The father, who wants to remain anonymous, previously told the ABC they spent time sheltering and sleeping in a hospital waiting for borders to open, after aerial attacks destroyed his relative’s home.
Upon their arrival in Adelaide today, the man thanked Australian authorities for their assistance in the repatriation process.
“We want as a family to thank Minister Penny Wong and her team of diplomats for their relentless efforts to organise our exit through Rafah border,” he said.
“We appreciate it’s been a very intricate pursuit and are extremely thankful it worked out eventually.
“We’d like to thank all those who advocated for us over the past few weeks, our friends, neighbours, community figures … and indeed every Australian who has felt our pain and wanted to see a happy ending to our ordeal.
“To all these people we say thank you so much for your support and love.”
Earlier this week, the man, his wife and their two children aged seven and 10 were among a group of Australians and other foreign nationals who were able to escape Gaza when the Rafah border crossing opened to civilians for the first time.
Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Birmingham said the return of the Adelaide family was an “enormous relief”.
“The fact there has been a small number of international citizens able to cross the Rafah border crossing is very, very welcome and a big relief to them I’m sure and all of their loved ones,” he said.
More Australians still in Gaza
Mr Birmingham said it was important that efforts continued to help any remaining Australians stuck in Gaza cross the border.
“We would also ideally wish to see that there is greater capacity for the treatment of injured civilians and others in some of the medical facilities that have been set up close to that crossing and to enable people to access that as we’re wishing to see humanitarian goods flow through,” he said.
“For Australia, our support, our messaging needs to remain consistent.
“Consistent in condemning the initial attacks, consistent in supporting Israel’s right to self defence and to disarm Hamas but also consistent in our desire to see humanitarian assistance enter without it enabling Hamas to rearm or reorganise.”
The Australian government has said it is continuing to communicate with the 65 Australians who are still in Gaza and is urging them to move towards the Rafah crossing.