Northern suburbs family of four are the first reported Australians trapped in Gaza

A northern suburbs family of four, including two children, are trapped in Gaza begging DFAT for support in helping them escape the siege.

An Adelaide family of four stranded in Gaza has pleaded with the federal government to negotiate safe passage for them back to Australia through Egypt.

The Palestinian-Australian man, his wife and their two young children, aged seven and 10, travelled to Gaza two weeks ago to visit family. It was the first time they had been back in 12 years.

The northern suburbs residents are one of 19 Australians known to be trapped in Gaza since armed conflict broke out between its de facto government Hamas and Israel last Saturday.

After Hamas’s brutal attack on an Israeli music festival on Saturday, the family has become stuck in the blockaded territory with all borders to ­Israel and Egypt closed off.

The family, who asked not to be identified for fears over their safety, said they were living in daily terror of being hit by a bomb as they tried to find a way back to Australia.

The family told The Daily Telegraph they had fled his in-law’s house where they had been staying on Monday night just before the house next door was razed to the ground by a bomb.

The father of two children, who did not wish to be identified, posted footage on social media of missiles exploding near the region’s border with Egypt, where they were holidaying.

He said he was terrified his family was going to die there.

An Aussie man, his wife and two kids have become trapped in Gaza after going there for a holiday and have no way to escape. Picture: Supplied

“A few hours after we arrived, the neighbourhood received a warning that a soccer field would be shelled so everyone evacuated,” he said.

“The IDF bombarded not just the soccer field but the building next door to my in-laws — we just survived.”

The family have since fled to the father’s parents’ house in the southern part of the city, where bombs have been falling less than 100m away.

The couple’s two young children are terrified, he said, with his seven-year-old daughter made physically sick from the carnage.

“My daughter especially gets panic attacks and becomes physically sick — she’s been throwing up constantly,” he said.

“My 10-year-old son is trying to be brave … but he has ADHD and we are running out of medication.”

On Sunday, after the bombing started, the family attempted to cross the Rafah Border Crossing into Egypt but were turned back and told not to try again.

After calling the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on their emergency hotline, the family said they were given no practical advice or hope of help from Australian authorities.

Eventually DFAT got back in contact on Tuesday and told the family they could try to cross the Egyptian border but it would be up to the family’s own risk assessment.

The bombed-out building in Gaza City next door to the Adelaide man’s in-laws’ house. Picture: Supplied

The interior of the Adelaide man’s parents house in Gaza City after shelling in the neighbourhood. He and his family are currently sheltering there as they wait to hear from DFAT. Picture: Supplied

The Rafah crossing has been hit by multiple Israeli air strikes in the last two days, leaving the family with no option of escape.

As the family wait for word, the mother became very sick on Wednesday, but had no access to any doctors.

“She is very stressed — she vomits and has diarrhoea and an elevated temperature too,” her husband said.

“We are trying home remedies with what we have available. We can’t see a doctor and we can’t leave home.”

A DFAT spokesman said the department was providing assistance to an Australian family in Gaza but “owing to our privacy obligations we cannot provide further comment”.

Another picture of the family.

Text messages sent to DFAT requesting urgent help.

They are currently waiting for more assistance.

On Monday, the Israeli government announced an expansion of its ongoing blockade of Gaza, limiting the entry of food, water, electricity and medical supplies into the disputed territory of 2.3 million people.

It came after Hamas fired a surprise barrage of more than 5000 rockets into Israel last Saturday, leading to a bloody conflict in which more than 2000 Israelis and Palestinians have perished so far.

The Australian government has promised to evacuate the estimated 12,000 citizens and dual nationals in Israel but information about the number of Australians in Gaza remains limited.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday morning condemned the “abhorrent attack on Israel” and said Israel had “a right to defend itself”.

“This is a dreadful circumstance that people didn’t see coming,” he told ABC’s Insiders.

“We of course are worried about escalation … There is no precedent for what is occurring here.”

On Wednesday, the government announced that 66-year-old Galit Carbone was the first Australian known to have died in the conflict after an attack by Hamas outside her home.

Originally published as Northern suburbs family of four are the first reported Australians trapped in Gaza