Almost 1000 Palestinian and Israeli nationals have been offered temporary humanitarian visas in Australia since October, new data shows, as the six-week ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza begins. Source: The Guardian.
The humanitarian pathway for those affected by the conflict was introduced in October for the more than 1300 Palestinians in Australia on visitor visas but prevents them from applying for permanent protection.
Advocates have applauded the new two-stage process, which gives visa holders access to social benefits and grants them working rights, but remain critical of the lack of pathways for permanent protection.
The Home Affairs Department has offered 995 Palestinian and Israeli nationals the three-year humanitarian visa as of January 15.
More than 210 have been granted the subclass 449 visa. This first stage of the process gives visa holders access to social payments, working and study rights as well as settlement and transition programs, including English tuition classes.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the pathway was similar to that offered to Ukrainians in 2022 after Russia’s invasion.
“After extensive security checks, we have been offering humanitarian visas to people affected by the conflict in Gaza. This is the same visa which was offered to people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine,” Mr Burke said in a statement.
“The Ukrainians who were given the temporary humanitarian visa are now going through the process of attaining permanent visas.”
The initial six-week ceasefire between Israeli and Hamas forces in Gaza came into effect on Sunday afternoon Australian time.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was “certainly hopeful” the ceasefire would hold.
“We want to see hostages released, we want to see proper aid be able to get to the people of Gaza and we want Israelis and Palestinians to be able to live in peace and security,” Mr Albanese said on Sunday.
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Australia grants nearly 1,000 humanitarian visas in three months to those fleeing Israel-Hamas conflict (By Sarah Basford Canales, The Guardian)
