Ministerial Submission MS23-002455 Hamas-Israel Conflict – Visa Processing Update, Signed 13 December 2023 And Ministerial Submission MS24-000029 Post-Arrival Support Options For Palestinians…

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Between 7 October and 30 November 2023, the Department of Home Affairs received 5,184 visa applications from Palestinian nationals affected by the Hamas-Israel conflict, compared with 967 lodgements in all of 2022-23. Approximately 90 per cent of applicants declared residential addresses in Gaza. The department granted 2,072 visas to Palestinian nationals, with 93.1 per cent being Visitor visas, though only 206 arrivals were recorded by 9 December 2023. The submission notes the department applied a consistent approach across all nationalities affected by the conflict, similar to recent policies for Ukraine and Sudan conflicts, prioritising support for Australian citizens and permanent residents. Movement restrictions from Gaza and limited departmental capacity constrained processing outcomes. A second January 2024 submission addressed post-arrival support options for affected Palestinians.