‘Do Not Wait’: Australia Announces 500 Seats for Citizens to Vacate Lebanon

Smoke billows from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the southern Lebanese village of Kfarkela near the border with Israel on Oct. 2, 2024. AFP via Getty Images

Australians stranded in Lebanon have been offered a glimmer of hope after the government arranged flights from the country for an initial 500 passengers.

Yet 1,700 have registered their desire to leave the country with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The scramble comes as Israel ramps up air strikes targeting Iran-backed terrorist group Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the Australian government had been working this week to secure seats on flights.

“This morning I can confirm we have secured an additional 500 seats for Australians, Australian permanent residents and there immediate family members on two flights to Cyprus which will be leaving on Saturday” Foreign Minister Penny Wong told reporters.

Wong said the operation of these flights would be subject to the security situation and the airport in Lebanon’s capital Beirut remaining open.

“What I would say to Australians, if you wish to leave, please take whatever option is available to you. Please do not wait for your preferred route, please take whatever option is available to you.”

The foreign minister said a further 80 seats were secured on flights leaving Oct. 3, but only 35 of those had been taken up.

Housing Minister Clare O'Neil told reporters on Oct. 2 there were still 15,000 Australians in Lebanon and echoed pleas to leave the country.

“Clearly to those people in Lebanon, it is not a safe place for you to be. Please get on commercial flights if you have those openings available,” she said on the Sunrise program.

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade crisis portal has been set up to help Australians and their immediate families in Lebanon, Israel, and Gaza to register for assistance.

Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Birmingham said on Oct. 2 that Australian citizens in Lebanon have had plenty of warning.

He said the opposition was on a “unity ticket” with the government on issuing warnings to citizens.

“Now the government is doing the right thing by seeking to create additional seats for people to leave,” Birmingham said on ABC News.

“But they shouldn’t expect miracles, and they certainly shouldn’t expect other Australian taxpayers to be footing extravagant bills for people to get out of the country where they’ve been told again and again that they shouldn’t be there.”