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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
Damon Cronshaw

'They're all out': Newcastle group departs Israel

The Newcastle group in Israel before Hamas invaded the country. Picture supplied

The last members of the Newcastle group caught in Israel have departed the country, after enduring days of stress as the conflict with Hamas escalated.

Brittany West, who helped the group with travel plans, said on Monday morning "we are so relieved that all 33 of the group members have departed Israel after an extremely stressful eight days".

"Our thoughts and prayers are with those Aussies still trying to leave, and also with the civilians from both Israel and Gaza who are living through this horrendous time," Ms West said.

Most of the group - who were connected through Mayfield's Grainery Church - departed last week on flights they had booked as part of a return trip to Israel, where they were on a two-week pilgrimage of the Holy Land.

The last members of the group left the country on government-organised flights.

Among them were Adamstown's Phil and Bronwyn Barnes.

"The DFAT flight was full on Friday. The embassy put them in a Canadian defence plane to Athens," the Barnes' daughter Salena Stonehouse said.

Newcastle East's Paul West, a pastor with the Grainery Church, arrived home on Thursday.

Mr West said on Friday that he and wife Audrey were "delighted to be back" and reconnecting with family, but they were working "day and night to make sure the entire group got home".

Paul West in a bomb shelter in a Tel Aviv hotel before he left Israel. Picture supplied

The first Qantas repatriation flight flew from Israel to London on Saturday. A second Qantas flight and a charter flight to Dubai were cancelled on Sunday after the security situation deteriorated.

But Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said on Monday that 255 people had since left Tel Aviv on two RAAF planes and one private contracted flight to Dubai.

The government had helped about 1200 Australian citizens leave Israel since the conflict began, Senator Wong said.

Another flight from Israel was being arranged for Monday, but Senator Wong said "that may be our last flight for the foreseeable future".

Defence Minister Richard Marles said those affected should leave when they can, warning "it could all change at a moment's notice".

Australian Defence Force planes remain on standby to evacuate citizens from Israel, depending on the security situation.

The government is working with commercial carriers to help Australians who flew from Israel to Dubai to get another flight home.

Senator Wong is also working on securing the safe passage of citizens out of occupied Palestinian territories.

As the conflict widens, the Department of Foreign Affairs' Smart Traveller account has updated its advice.

"If you're in Lebanon, you should consider whether your need to remain there is essential. If you wish to leave, a crisis could limit commercial options for departure. You should consider the first available option," the account started.

Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil said it was legal for Australians to go to a foreign country and fight with that nation's armed forces, but it was unlawful to fight for a terrorist organisation such as Hamas.

"What is happening in the Middle East now is not a war between two nation states," she told the ABC's RN.

"It is a war between a nation state and a terrorist organisation, a terrorist organisation that has just in the most inhuman way murdered innocent men, women and children."

Mr Marles said he would not cast judgment on Israel's blockade of food, water and fuel to Gaza, which international humanitarian groups have condemned.

While it was important Israel acted within the rules of war, he believed they were doing so. Pro-Palestine protests continued across the weekend calling for an end to Israeli occupation of Gaza.

Senator Wong said Australians had a right to protest peacefully but "do not have a right to engage in hatred or anti-Semitism".

Australia's parliament will this week pay tribute to those affected by the Hamas massacre in Israel. The government will move motions in both houses.

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