Last-minute seats available on flights out of Lebanon

"Do not wait, leave immediately," the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said.

The Australian Government has secured seats on flights departing Lebanon.— Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 🇦🇺 (@dfat) There are still seats available on flights departing on Saturday for those who are registered on DFAT's Crisis Portal. Do not wait, leave immediately. pic.twitter.com/n2S20riMFFOctober 5, 2024

The two planes can carry up to 500 Australians, permanent residents and their immediate family members.

Passengers are expected to arrive at Beirut airport in the morning local time for the 45-minute flights toLarnaca, arriving around 6.30pm and 11.45pm AEST.

There will be access to accommodation on the ground as the travellers await flights back to Australia.

Forward planning has already been underway with Qantas, which will operate two non-stop Boeing 787 flights from Cyprus to Sydney with capacity for up to 440 passengers.

The first 22-hour flight will depart on Monday evening local, arriving in Sydney on Tuesday, while the second will leave on Wednesday.

Qantas has put the word out for pilots and cabin crew members to volunteer to operate the free flights.

Qantas has asked pilots and cabin crew to volunteer to staff the flights. (HANDOUT/Qantas Media)

"This is expected to be oversubscribed as it was with the special assistance flights from Tel Aviv in October 2023, when 900 cabin crew expressed their interest for 70 positions," the airline said.

There are currently about 4900 registered Australians in Lebanon. More than 3000 are registered as wanting to leave. It's believed more than 700 persons have already left.

Monday marks one year since militant groups including Hamas - designated a terrorist organisation by the Australian government - crossed the border from Gaza into southern Israel.

They slaughtered more than 1200 people and took another 250 people hostage, according to the Israeli government.

In response, Israel unleashed a bombing campaign and ground invasion on Gaza, killing almost 42,000 people, displacing 1.9 million and leaving another 500,000 to face 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, which is also designated a terrorist organisation by Australia.

In less than two weeks, Israel's bombs have killed more than 1000 people in Lebanon and left more than one million without homes.

Meanwhile, Fortescue Metals chairman Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest has committed more than $18 million to deliver food and address water scarcity and inadequate sanitation in Gaza through his not-for-profit Minderoo Foundation.

The announcement almost doubles the organisation's total contribution to Gaza's humanitarian aid.

Andrew Forrest says food aid, as well as water and sanitation, is vital to save lives in Gaza. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS)

"Minderoo Foundation will not sit on its hands while children starve to death," Dr Forrest said.

"We want to see the philanthropic and private sector respond more strongly to the humanitarian needs in Gaza."

About $7 million will be earmarked for the United Nation's World Food Program, another $7 million for World Central Kitchen and $3.6 million for the Palestinian Water Authority, UNICEF and other local partners to help deliver water and sanitation infrastructure.

On Sunday, a candlelight vigil to remember the Israelis killed on October 7, those who died after being taken hostage and those still being held hostage will be held in Sydney at an undisclosed location.

There will also be pro-Palestine rallies in Sydney and Melbourne on Sunday, which are expected to attract a heavy police presence.

Organisers of the Sydney rally have agreed with NSW Police not to display flags, portraits or symbols of prohibited organisations.