A year on from the October 7 attacks that prompted the current conflict between Israel and Hamas, families in Gaza are still in the crossfire.

Key points

• Samaritans Purse has been facilitating the resettlement of Gazan families in Australia.
• Leaving a conflict zone and coming to a country like Australia is also a huge cultural transition for families.
• Find out more about the services Samaritans Purse offer via their website.

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Some have chosen to remain, and others are attempting to seek refuge and support from countries able to invite them in.

Humanitarian aid organisation Samaritans Purse has been facilitating the resettlement of Gazan families in Australia where, as of August this year, the Refugee Council of Australia reports that 2,564 Visitor visas have been granted to Palestinians and 5,410 Visitor visas to Israeli citizens since the initial attack.

“The Gaza Strip and the West Bank has always been a complicated place,” Samaritans Purse’ Daniel told Hope 103.2.

“However, before October 7 last year life was very normal: in Gaza City people could get education, people could go to school, people could go to the shops [but now] Gaza has just been decimated.

“Up to 80 percent of the infrastructure has been destroyed [and] more than 60 percent of residential homes have been destroyed as part of collateral.”

Samaritans Purse has been facilitating the resettlement of Gazan families in Australia.

As a result, more than a million people have been internally displaced and avenues for exit have become limited with surrounding countries closing their doors since the conflict started.

Daniel acknowledges “the Australian government have opened the pathway”, but visa recipients still need to find save passage out of Gaza and a way to resettle once they get to Australia.

A visa is no guarantee of a new home.

Resettling someone from a warzone involves finding housing, work and getting them established in community.

“The first thing is housing,” Daniel said.

“We’ve been able to provide financial support toward rental assistance for up to four months while they get back on their feet.

“Then, it’s simple things like food and essentials, and finding employment [and offering] training about how to do that.”

Leaving a conflict zone and coming to a country like Australia is also a huge cultural transition for families.

Leaving a conflict zone and coming to a country like Australia is a huge cultural transition for families.

“Especially for children,” Daniel said.

“They’re going to be attending schools where they’re the only people that look like them.

“Some of them are blessed to be able to speak English, but English is a second language, so the cultural adjustment is massive.”

Find out more about the services Samaritans Purse offer via their website.

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Feature image: Photo by CanvaPro