More than 400 Australians have fled Lebanon on two Government-supported charter flights to Cyprus – with many more registered to evacuate.
There were smiles, Aussie chants and tears when passengers disembarked at Larnaca Airport on Saturday.
Georges Challita had been working in Lebanon for the past three years.
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He left his family there as they don’t have a current visa.
“It’s a bittersweet moment honestly. My family are back in Lebanon but I have to be safe and do what’s best for me for me now, and hopefully everything will get better for everyone there. It’s a bit sad.” Challita said.
Mother-of-three Ikhlas Estephan says she feels guilty for leaving.
“I just felt that why is my life more worthy than other people?” she said.
“We are very grateful to the Australian government because we know our life counts, and it’s such an incredible country but there are parts in the world that their life is not worthy … and it hits you.”
But she added she’s “very relieved. I felt like we are away from the war”.
Australian authorities had booked 500 seats for stranded Aussies and 229 arrived on the first flight and 178 on the second.
Many more are due in the coming days, with 3,088 people currently registered to get out.
With the violence escalating in the Middle East — the government has confirmed two more flights are scheduled to fly from Lebanon to Cyprus on Sunday.
“Now is the time to leave. Please be prepared to go at short notice,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong posted on social media.
“Australians in Lebanon should register with DFAT’s crisis portal or call the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 (overseas) or 1300 555 135 (Australia),” she said.