Two more flights will repatriate hundreds of Australians from Beirut, as an earlier round of evacuated passengers prepare to leave Cyprus for home as Israel expands its military campaign in Lebanon.
On Saturday night, two flights carrying a total of 407 Australians, permanent residents and their immediate family members touched down in Larnaca, Cyprus.
The passengers are in temporary accommodation awaiting their return to Australia on flights operated by Qantas and Qatar Airways starting from Sunday.
"They are exhausted, exceptionally happy to be here but heartbroken because they left family behind," Australian High Commissioner to Cyprus Fiona McKergow said.
On Sunday night AEDT, two more flights will take off from Beirut for the 45-minute trip to Larnaca.
The first homeward-bound flight, with Qatar Airlines, will leave Cyprus before midnight on Sunday AEDT.
Qantas will operate two 22-hour flights from Larnaca to Sydney on Monday, which will arrive on Tuesday, and on Wednesday.
As of Sunday morning, 3,679 Australians were registered with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as wanting to leave Lebanon, with 1,765 registered for information only.
The first of the repatriated Australians are due to land on the one-year anniversary of a deadly Hamas-led attack on Israel on Monday.
A candlelight vigil for the Jewish community will be held at a secret location in Sydney's east on Sunday evening, in what will be the first major Australian event marking the anniversary.
The gathering will hear tributes to those killed and taken hostage - and those who died while being held hostage - when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel.
Multiple speakers including yet-to-be-announced guests from Israel will address the event jointly organised by the Israeli embassy, Zionist Federation and NSW Jewish Board of Deputies.
Supporters of Palestine will rally at Melbourne's State Library and Sydney's Town Hall on Sunday as they do every week, with a heavy police presence expected at both events.
Organisers of the NSW protest have agreed to refrain from marching near Sydney's Great Synagogue.
Last week, police chiefs around the nation raised concerns some people could use the rallies to display symbols linked to designated terror groups such as Hezbollah.
An important message from the New South Wales Police Force: — NSW Police Force (@nswpolice) pic.twitter.com/K6B3fWz8GeOctober 5, 2024
October 7 marks one year since militant groups including Hamas - a designated a terrorist organisation by the Australian government - crossed the border from Gaza into southern Israel.
More than 1200 people were killed and 250 were taken hostage, according to the Israeli government.
In response, Israel unleashed a bombing campaign and ground invasion of Gaza, killing almost 42,000 people, displacing 1.9 million and leaving another 500,000 with catastrophic levels of food insecurity, local health ministry sources report.
Israel's military campaign has now spread to Lebanon as it hunts down senior figures in Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group backed by Iran and designated a terrorist organisation by Australia.
with Reuters