Australia govt announces flights for stranded citizens in Israel

Canberra: The Australian government on Thursday announced that it will run repatriation flights for citizens stranded in Israel amid the ongoing violent conflict.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong confirmed that flag carrier Qantas will operate two flights from Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport to London for Australians who do not already have plans to leave the area, reports Xinhua news agency.

The flights will be operated free of charge for passengers, with Qantas to absorb the costs.

Data from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), there are up to 12,000 Australian citizens living in Israel.

On Wednesday, Wong and Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil confirmed that the body of Sydney-born Galit Carbone, 66, was found just metres from her home in the Be'eri Kibbutz, a farming community approximately 5 km from the Gaza border.

According to local media, Carbone was born in Sydney but raised her children in Israel where she worked as a librarian.