Prioritise your safety, monitor events and follow local advice, including shelter in place instructions. Sheltering in place remains your safest option at this time. Sheltering in place means stay indoors, as much as possible. Be aware of your environment and avoid government, military or energy infrastructure, including oil production facilities, and US diplomatic locations. Monitor local warning systems and if warned of an imminent attack move to an enclosed hardened shelter, ideally underground or close to ground level if available. If these are not available seek an inner room without windows.
Consider a commercial option to depart if you can secure one and it is safe to do so. You should consider recent attacks in your area and that airports and aircraft are more vulnerable to these strikes. You should verify the status of any border crossing before you travel by air, land or sea. Make sure you have access to food, water and essential medicines. Consider that airlines may cease operating at short notice and you may need to find accommodation. Availability of accommodation may be limited.
US Embassies in the Middle East are issuing local security alerts. We encourage you to monitor US security alerts in your location and follow this advice (see ‘Safety’).
Israeli military and Palestinian and Israeli security operations continue in Palestine, including Gaza and multiple areas in the West Bank. If you are in Gaza or the West Bank and a military or security operation occurs near you, take shelter and monitor media. Where applicable, follow the guidance of the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority.
There are no flights in or out of Gaza or the West Bank. Due to the ongoing conflict, land borders between Gaza and Israel may be closed or have highly restricted access for long periods and can be subject to attacks, including air strikes. Land crossings to Jordan may close at short notice and involve passage through Israeli-controlled border crossings. The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt may be closed or have highly restricted access for long periods and may also change at short notice. Entry to Palestine requires passage through Israeli-controlled land or air points of entry, with associated security arrangements. This advice should be read in conjunction with our travel advice for Israel.
There is no sea access to Gaza. Israel has a naval blockade in place along the coast of Gaza. Don’t join others seeking to break the blockade. Previous attempts to break the blockade have resulted in death, injury, arrest or deportation of foreigners (see ‘Safety’).
Our operations in Ramallah have been temporarily suspended. Our ability to provide consular assistance in Palestine (including Jerusalem) is extremely limited at this time. Australians in these areas in need of consular assistance should contact the Australian Embassy in Jordan. Australians in Jerusalem in need of consular assistance should contact the Australian Embassy in Israel (see ‘Contacts’).
The Australian Government may not be able to assist you to leave. Subscribe to Smartraveller to receive email alerts (see ‘Safety’).
We now advise:
Do not travel to Palestine overall due to the volatile security situation, ongoing military activity, armed conflict, civil unrest and terrorism
