‘Really scary': Australian stranded in Israel recounts her experience
Australian stuck in Israel Taiba Ash discusses being trapped in Jerusalem amid the escalating conflict with Iran.
There are more than 1200 Australians currently trapped in Israel and Iran.
The airspace is closed, so for now, repatriation flights are not an option.
The Australian Government, through DFAT, was in the process of organising buses to get people to Jordan.
'At the moment we are safe, it is really scary, we are with three young children – at any given moment a siren can go off and we have about 90 seconds to run to the street to a bomb shelter,' Ms Ash said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Canberra Times
an hour ago
- Canberra Times
Too much huffing from the AUKUS caucus
Those who say Albo should have been prepared to risk becoming a punching bag for Trump in the bear pit of the Oval Office seem to ignore the reality that such an outcome would be at least as bad for Australia as for the PM personally. A collapse in bilateral civility before the world's media could end up affecting trade, the ANZUS alliance, and Australian access to top-shelf education, medical science and digital technologies, let alone access to lucrative US markets.
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Israel helping evacuate Australians amid Iran conflict
Israel is helping Australia evacuate its citizens as its bombing campaign against Iran continues, the country's ambassador says. The first group of Australians fleeing the conflict crossed a land border out of Israel on Wednesday, assisted by the federal government. Israeli ambassador Amir Maimon said he was personally involved in the Australian government's efforts to get people out. "We are assisting the Australian government in every possible way," he told reporters on Thursday. Israel's top diplomat in Australia said it was important to emphasise that the conflict with Iran was not about regime change. "It is not for the State of Israel to decide about the nature of the regime in Iran, it is for the Iranian people," he said. "We are focused on the military targets that were set." For Australian mother-of-three Emily Gian, life in the days since Israel launched strikes on Iran and triggered waves of missile fire in retaliation has been spent in and out of underground bunkers. "We could hear it so loud that my kids thought that it was near our house," Ms Gian told AAP on Wednesday. "It's a really loud boom. You feel the house shake." But unlike earlier conflicts with Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, Ms Gian said the strikes from Iran came with the added fear that the nation was believed to be working on nuclear weapons. "There's always been a fear in Israel that an escalation with Iran is the ultimate and scariest escalation that could be," she said. But she won't flee. "Our plans are to stay here for now because we live here, our house is here, our life is here, our work," Ms Gian said. Melbourne lawyer Leon Zweir, who is in Jerusalem attending a conference, has registered with DFAT to be repatriated but will not leave until the event ends on Thursday. He said the mood of Israelis was "resolute", despite the missiles flying overhead. Amid concerns the US could enter the conflict, about 1200 Australians in Israel have registered with the Department of Foreign Affairs for help to leave, while 1500 Australians and family members have sought help to leave Iran. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said a small group left Israel via a land crossing on Wednesday and that the department is looking for more ways to evacuate Australians. "Obviously, the situation on the ground is fluid," she told ABC News on Thursday. Evacuation was riskier in Iran, where the advice for Australians was to shelter in place if there was no opportunity to leave safely. The conflict began on Friday after Israel moved to wipe out Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile program, claiming the Islamic Republic was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons. US President Donald Trump has since met his national security council and demanded that Iran unconditionally surrender, adding he knew where Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was hiding. Iran has warned of "all-out war" if the US joins the fray. Senator Wong said the Iranian regime threatened the stability of the Middle East. "It's time, beyond time for Iran to come back to the negotiating table, for Iran to agree to discontinue any nuclear program," she said. Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 639 people and wounded 1,329 others, according to Washington-based group Human Rights Activists, while Israel said at least 24 civilians had been killed. Israel is helping Australia evacuate its citizens as its bombing campaign against Iran continues, the country's ambassador says. The first group of Australians fleeing the conflict crossed a land border out of Israel on Wednesday, assisted by the federal government. Israeli ambassador Amir Maimon said he was personally involved in the Australian government's efforts to get people out. "We are assisting the Australian government in every possible way," he told reporters on Thursday. Israel's top diplomat in Australia said it was important to emphasise that the conflict with Iran was not about regime change. "It is not for the State of Israel to decide about the nature of the regime in Iran, it is for the Iranian people," he said. "We are focused on the military targets that were set." For Australian mother-of-three Emily Gian, life in the days since Israel launched strikes on Iran and triggered waves of missile fire in retaliation has been spent in and out of underground bunkers. "We could hear it so loud that my kids thought that it was near our house," Ms Gian told AAP on Wednesday. "It's a really loud boom. You feel the house shake." But unlike earlier conflicts with Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, Ms Gian said the strikes from Iran came with the added fear that the nation was believed to be working on nuclear weapons. "There's always been a fear in Israel that an escalation with Iran is the ultimate and scariest escalation that could be," she said. But she won't flee. "Our plans are to stay here for now because we live here, our house is here, our life is here, our work," Ms Gian said. Melbourne lawyer Leon Zweir, who is in Jerusalem attending a conference, has registered with DFAT to be repatriated but will not leave until the event ends on Thursday. He said the mood of Israelis was "resolute", despite the missiles flying overhead. Amid concerns the US could enter the conflict, about 1200 Australians in Israel have registered with the Department of Foreign Affairs for help to leave, while 1500 Australians and family members have sought help to leave Iran. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said a small group left Israel via a land crossing on Wednesday and that the department is looking for more ways to evacuate Australians. "Obviously, the situation on the ground is fluid," she told ABC News on Thursday. Evacuation was riskier in Iran, where the advice for Australians was to shelter in place if there was no opportunity to leave safely. The conflict began on Friday after Israel moved to wipe out Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile program, claiming the Islamic Republic was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons. US President Donald Trump has since met his national security council and demanded that Iran unconditionally surrender, adding he knew where Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was hiding. Iran has warned of "all-out war" if the US joins the fray. Senator Wong said the Iranian regime threatened the stability of the Middle East. "It's time, beyond time for Iran to come back to the negotiating table, for Iran to agree to discontinue any nuclear program," she said. Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 639 people and wounded 1,329 others, according to Washington-based group Human Rights Activists, while Israel said at least 24 civilians had been killed. Israel is helping Australia evacuate its citizens as its bombing campaign against Iran continues, the country's ambassador says. The first group of Australians fleeing the conflict crossed a land border out of Israel on Wednesday, assisted by the federal government. Israeli ambassador Amir Maimon said he was personally involved in the Australian government's efforts to get people out. "We are assisting the Australian government in every possible way," he told reporters on Thursday. Israel's top diplomat in Australia said it was important to emphasise that the conflict with Iran was not about regime change. "It is not for the State of Israel to decide about the nature of the regime in Iran, it is for the Iranian people," he said. "We are focused on the military targets that were set." For Australian mother-of-three Emily Gian, life in the days since Israel launched strikes on Iran and triggered waves of missile fire in retaliation has been spent in and out of underground bunkers. "We could hear it so loud that my kids thought that it was near our house," Ms Gian told AAP on Wednesday. "It's a really loud boom. You feel the house shake." But unlike earlier conflicts with Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, Ms Gian said the strikes from Iran came with the added fear that the nation was believed to be working on nuclear weapons. "There's always been a fear in Israel that an escalation with Iran is the ultimate and scariest escalation that could be," she said. But she won't flee. "Our plans are to stay here for now because we live here, our house is here, our life is here, our work," Ms Gian said. Melbourne lawyer Leon Zweir, who is in Jerusalem attending a conference, has registered with DFAT to be repatriated but will not leave until the event ends on Thursday. He said the mood of Israelis was "resolute", despite the missiles flying overhead. Amid concerns the US could enter the conflict, about 1200 Australians in Israel have registered with the Department of Foreign Affairs for help to leave, while 1500 Australians and family members have sought help to leave Iran. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said a small group left Israel via a land crossing on Wednesday and that the department is looking for more ways to evacuate Australians. "Obviously, the situation on the ground is fluid," she told ABC News on Thursday. Evacuation was riskier in Iran, where the advice for Australians was to shelter in place if there was no opportunity to leave safely. The conflict began on Friday after Israel moved to wipe out Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile program, claiming the Islamic Republic was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons. US President Donald Trump has since met his national security council and demanded that Iran unconditionally surrender, adding he knew where Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was hiding. Iran has warned of "all-out war" if the US joins the fray. Senator Wong said the Iranian regime threatened the stability of the Middle East. "It's time, beyond time for Iran to come back to the negotiating table, for Iran to agree to discontinue any nuclear program," she said. Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 639 people and wounded 1,329 others, according to Washington-based group Human Rights Activists, while Israel said at least 24 civilians had been killed. Israel is helping Australia evacuate its citizens as its bombing campaign against Iran continues, the country's ambassador says. The first group of Australians fleeing the conflict crossed a land border out of Israel on Wednesday, assisted by the federal government. Israeli ambassador Amir Maimon said he was personally involved in the Australian government's efforts to get people out. "We are assisting the Australian government in every possible way," he told reporters on Thursday. Israel's top diplomat in Australia said it was important to emphasise that the conflict with Iran was not about regime change. "It is not for the State of Israel to decide about the nature of the regime in Iran, it is for the Iranian people," he said. "We are focused on the military targets that were set." For Australian mother-of-three Emily Gian, life in the days since Israel launched strikes on Iran and triggered waves of missile fire in retaliation has been spent in and out of underground bunkers. "We could hear it so loud that my kids thought that it was near our house," Ms Gian told AAP on Wednesday. "It's a really loud boom. You feel the house shake." But unlike earlier conflicts with Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, Ms Gian said the strikes from Iran came with the added fear that the nation was believed to be working on nuclear weapons. "There's always been a fear in Israel that an escalation with Iran is the ultimate and scariest escalation that could be," she said. But she won't flee. "Our plans are to stay here for now because we live here, our house is here, our life is here, our work," Ms Gian said. Melbourne lawyer Leon Zweir, who is in Jerusalem attending a conference, has registered with DFAT to be repatriated but will not leave until the event ends on Thursday. He said the mood of Israelis was "resolute", despite the missiles flying overhead. Amid concerns the US could enter the conflict, about 1200 Australians in Israel have registered with the Department of Foreign Affairs for help to leave, while 1500 Australians and family members have sought help to leave Iran. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said a small group left Israel via a land crossing on Wednesday and that the department is looking for more ways to evacuate Australians. "Obviously, the situation on the ground is fluid," she told ABC News on Thursday. Evacuation was riskier in Iran, where the advice for Australians was to shelter in place if there was no opportunity to leave safely. The conflict began on Friday after Israel moved to wipe out Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile program, claiming the Islamic Republic was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons. US President Donald Trump has since met his national security council and demanded that Iran unconditionally surrender, adding he knew where Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was hiding. Iran has warned of "all-out war" if the US joins the fray. Senator Wong said the Iranian regime threatened the stability of the Middle East. "It's time, beyond time for Iran to come back to the negotiating table, for Iran to agree to discontinue any nuclear program," she said. Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 639 people and wounded 1,329 others, according to Washington-based group Human Rights Activists, while Israel said at least 24 civilians had been killed.
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Vulnerable pregnant women among adrift migrant workers
A migrant worker handed her newborn baby to authorities because she was not covered by Australian healthcare, had no support network, no money and feared deportation. It is one of many "distressing" stories of vulnerable temporary migrants who are adrift in the NSW Riverina, including many who have become disengaged from the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme. A NSW parliamentary inquiry into modern slavery risks faced by migrant workers in rural areas has been told PALM workers are particularly vulnerable to exploitation because their visa does not allow them to change employers. Some Pacific workers abscond from the scheme and go into hiding as undocumented workers in the fruit-growing region, Leeton Multicultural Support Group chairman Paul Maytom told the inquiry on Thursday. Mr Maytom said 10 pregnant migrant workers have approached the organisation for help, including one woman who gave her premature baby to authorities after her older child was also taken in as a ward of the state. "She said, 'I didn't know what to do because I have no money, so I agreed to it, but I want my babies back', Mr Maytom told the inquiry sitting in Griffith. "That's tough." Eight workers approached the support organisation about two years ago after escaping an employer in Far North Queensland, where they were packing mangoes for up to 18 hours a day in 35-day stretches. "We sit there, we listen to that and we really don't know where to go to because they're disengaged workers," Mr Maytom said. "They've been forced out of the system, they don't know where to go and, in many cases, they're hiding ... from the authorities." Mr Maytom, who is the former mayor of the Leeton Shire, said he was not aware of local employers who were treating workers poorly. Many disengaged workers arrive in agricultural regions like Leeton and Shepparton and Mildura, in Victoria, because they've heard of better working conditions. The inquiry has been told labour hire companies are often bad actors in temporary migrant recruitment, with some forcing workers into debt bondage and failing to pass on wages paid by farmers. NSW is one of the few states that does not regulate the labour hire sector, which can attract dodgy operators ousted from other jurisdictions. Ken Dachi, a co-ordinator with migrant support organisation Welcoming Australia, said the PALM scheme could have significant benefits for workers and regional communities, but there were major flaws. "Vulnerabilities caused by disengagement from the PALM scheme poses the greatest threat to our efforts of fostering social cohesion in the Riverina," Mr Dachi said. "The triggers for PALM disengagement are numerous ... (there are) heart-wrenching stories of suffering and pain experienced by disengaged PALM workers who are part of our community." Reports of modern slavery can be made to 1800 FREEDOM (1800 37 333 66) A migrant worker handed her newborn baby to authorities because she was not covered by Australian healthcare, had no support network, no money and feared deportation. It is one of many "distressing" stories of vulnerable temporary migrants who are adrift in the NSW Riverina, including many who have become disengaged from the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme. A NSW parliamentary inquiry into modern slavery risks faced by migrant workers in rural areas has been told PALM workers are particularly vulnerable to exploitation because their visa does not allow them to change employers. Some Pacific workers abscond from the scheme and go into hiding as undocumented workers in the fruit-growing region, Leeton Multicultural Support Group chairman Paul Maytom told the inquiry on Thursday. Mr Maytom said 10 pregnant migrant workers have approached the organisation for help, including one woman who gave her premature baby to authorities after her older child was also taken in as a ward of the state. "She said, 'I didn't know what to do because I have no money, so I agreed to it, but I want my babies back', Mr Maytom told the inquiry sitting in Griffith. "That's tough." Eight workers approached the support organisation about two years ago after escaping an employer in Far North Queensland, where they were packing mangoes for up to 18 hours a day in 35-day stretches. "We sit there, we listen to that and we really don't know where to go to because they're disengaged workers," Mr Maytom said. "They've been forced out of the system, they don't know where to go and, in many cases, they're hiding ... from the authorities." Mr Maytom, who is the former mayor of the Leeton Shire, said he was not aware of local employers who were treating workers poorly. Many disengaged workers arrive in agricultural regions like Leeton and Shepparton and Mildura, in Victoria, because they've heard of better working conditions. The inquiry has been told labour hire companies are often bad actors in temporary migrant recruitment, with some forcing workers into debt bondage and failing to pass on wages paid by farmers. NSW is one of the few states that does not regulate the labour hire sector, which can attract dodgy operators ousted from other jurisdictions. Ken Dachi, a co-ordinator with migrant support organisation Welcoming Australia, said the PALM scheme could have significant benefits for workers and regional communities, but there were major flaws. "Vulnerabilities caused by disengagement from the PALM scheme poses the greatest threat to our efforts of fostering social cohesion in the Riverina," Mr Dachi said. "The triggers for PALM disengagement are numerous ... (there are) heart-wrenching stories of suffering and pain experienced by disengaged PALM workers who are part of our community." Reports of modern slavery can be made to 1800 FREEDOM (1800 37 333 66) A migrant worker handed her newborn baby to authorities because she was not covered by Australian healthcare, had no support network, no money and feared deportation. It is one of many "distressing" stories of vulnerable temporary migrants who are adrift in the NSW Riverina, including many who have become disengaged from the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme. A NSW parliamentary inquiry into modern slavery risks faced by migrant workers in rural areas has been told PALM workers are particularly vulnerable to exploitation because their visa does not allow them to change employers. Some Pacific workers abscond from the scheme and go into hiding as undocumented workers in the fruit-growing region, Leeton Multicultural Support Group chairman Paul Maytom told the inquiry on Thursday. Mr Maytom said 10 pregnant migrant workers have approached the organisation for help, including one woman who gave her premature baby to authorities after her older child was also taken in as a ward of the state. "She said, 'I didn't know what to do because I have no money, so I agreed to it, but I want my babies back', Mr Maytom told the inquiry sitting in Griffith. "That's tough." Eight workers approached the support organisation about two years ago after escaping an employer in Far North Queensland, where they were packing mangoes for up to 18 hours a day in 35-day stretches. "We sit there, we listen to that and we really don't know where to go to because they're disengaged workers," Mr Maytom said. "They've been forced out of the system, they don't know where to go and, in many cases, they're hiding ... from the authorities." Mr Maytom, who is the former mayor of the Leeton Shire, said he was not aware of local employers who were treating workers poorly. Many disengaged workers arrive in agricultural regions like Leeton and Shepparton and Mildura, in Victoria, because they've heard of better working conditions. The inquiry has been told labour hire companies are often bad actors in temporary migrant recruitment, with some forcing workers into debt bondage and failing to pass on wages paid by farmers. NSW is one of the few states that does not regulate the labour hire sector, which can attract dodgy operators ousted from other jurisdictions. Ken Dachi, a co-ordinator with migrant support organisation Welcoming Australia, said the PALM scheme could have significant benefits for workers and regional communities, but there were major flaws. "Vulnerabilities caused by disengagement from the PALM scheme poses the greatest threat to our efforts of fostering social cohesion in the Riverina," Mr Dachi said. "The triggers for PALM disengagement are numerous ... (there are) heart-wrenching stories of suffering and pain experienced by disengaged PALM workers who are part of our community." Reports of modern slavery can be made to 1800 FREEDOM (1800 37 333 66) A migrant worker handed her newborn baby to authorities because she was not covered by Australian healthcare, had no support network, no money and feared deportation. It is one of many "distressing" stories of vulnerable temporary migrants who are adrift in the NSW Riverina, including many who have become disengaged from the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme. A NSW parliamentary inquiry into modern slavery risks faced by migrant workers in rural areas has been told PALM workers are particularly vulnerable to exploitation because their visa does not allow them to change employers. Some Pacific workers abscond from the scheme and go into hiding as undocumented workers in the fruit-growing region, Leeton Multicultural Support Group chairman Paul Maytom told the inquiry on Thursday. Mr Maytom said 10 pregnant migrant workers have approached the organisation for help, including one woman who gave her premature baby to authorities after her older child was also taken in as a ward of the state. "She said, 'I didn't know what to do because I have no money, so I agreed to it, but I want my babies back', Mr Maytom told the inquiry sitting in Griffith. "That's tough." Eight workers approached the support organisation about two years ago after escaping an employer in Far North Queensland, where they were packing mangoes for up to 18 hours a day in 35-day stretches. "We sit there, we listen to that and we really don't know where to go to because they're disengaged workers," Mr Maytom said. "They've been forced out of the system, they don't know where to go and, in many cases, they're hiding ... from the authorities." Mr Maytom, who is the former mayor of the Leeton Shire, said he was not aware of local employers who were treating workers poorly. Many disengaged workers arrive in agricultural regions like Leeton and Shepparton and Mildura, in Victoria, because they've heard of better working conditions. The inquiry has been told labour hire companies are often bad actors in temporary migrant recruitment, with some forcing workers into debt bondage and failing to pass on wages paid by farmers. NSW is one of the few states that does not regulate the labour hire sector, which can attract dodgy operators ousted from other jurisdictions. Ken Dachi, a co-ordinator with migrant support organisation Welcoming Australia, said the PALM scheme could have significant benefits for workers and regional communities, but there were major flaws. "Vulnerabilities caused by disengagement from the PALM scheme poses the greatest threat to our efforts of fostering social cohesion in the Riverina," Mr Dachi said. "The triggers for PALM disengagement are numerous ... (there are) heart-wrenching stories of suffering and pain experienced by disengaged PALM workers who are part of our community." Reports of modern slavery can be made to 1800 FREEDOM (1800 37 333 66)
