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Feature
The 'nightmare' that has been Eyad's family's reality for generations
At 51, Eyad faces the challenge of rebuilding his life again — and he's following in the footsteps of his father, and grandfather, before him.
Published 21 July 2024 6:38am
Updated 22 July 2024 6:21am
By Ewa Staszewska
Source: SBS News
As he watches a video of his home being bombed, over and over again, Eyad al-Masri is in disbelief that this "nightmare" is his reality.
Shortly after the October 7 attack, when Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel, Eyad, his wife, and their two daughters were forced to flee Gaza City.
They went south to Khan Younis, an area the Israeli military told them was "safe", but were surprised to find the bombing there "more intense".
Fifty days after leaving their home, a family member sent Eyad a video of their apartment building being destroyed. SBS News has seen the video but is unable to verify it.
It's footage he now replays from the safety of his new home in Melbourne, having fled the war with his family in March.
Eyad relives the horror of his home being destroyed. Source: SBS News
"I lose my home, lose my job, losing many friends, many relatives. We losing everything in Gaza … There is nothing in Gaza now, just death."
Since arriving in Australia in May, Eyad has relied on assistance from a support organisation for Palestinians and the generosity of everyday Australians.
Critics of the federal government's response towards those fleeing Gaza, including independent senator David Pocock, argue Labor needs to do more to support those arriving in Australia.
Forced to flee Gaza 'sometimes multiple times'
The October 7 attack was a significant escalation in the long-standing conflict between Israel and Hamas, .
Eyad's challenge to once again rebuild his life at the age of 51 follows in the footsteps of his father, and grandfather, before him.
He says his grandfather was among those displaced in 1948, in what is known to Palestinians as the Nakba, which means 'catastrophe' in Arabic. Palestinians commemorate Nakba Day on the date the Israeli state was declared in 1948, which Israelis celebrate as Independence Day.
"After the Nakba of the Palestinian people in 1948 and the decision to partition Palestine between the state of Israel and a Palestinian state, unfortunately, the state of Israel was established, and the state of Palestine was not," Eyad says.
Several months before Israel’s declaration, the UN passed a resolution adopting the plan to partition the British Mandate of Palestine into a Jewish state and an Arab state. The plan was accepted by Jewish leaders but rejected by their Palestinian counterparts.
Some 700,000 Palestinians fled or were expelled from their homes in the lead-up to and during the bloody 1948 Arab–Israeli War, in which Israel was attacked by several neighbouring countries.
"Sadly, my grandfather was forced to leave [the Palestinian city of] al-Majdal and move to Gaza."
Now, al-Majdal is part of the Israeli city of Ashkelon, 19km north of the Gaza border.
Eyad's father was four years old at that time. When he turned 23 in 1967, Eyad says he too was displaced from Gaza to Egypt as a result of the Six-Day War fought between Israel and the Arab states.
In 1996, Eyad returned to Gaza, only to have history repeat itself.
"Unfortunately, just like my grandfather and my father were displaced ... I too was displaced from Gaza in 2024," Eyad says.
It's an experience Eyad shares with up to 1.9 million people who have been internally displaced across the Gaza Strip during the last nine months of Israeli bombardment, according to the latest estimates from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees.
That figure includes people who have been displaced as many as 10 times.
Eyad wishes for his daughter (right), a talented drawer, to have a happy life where she can pursue her dreams. Source: SBS News
"What we have seen since October 2023 is just the most recent example of this, with the majority of the population forced to flee, sometimes multiple times," she said.
While he dreams of returning to Gaza, Eyad admits it makes "no sense" to return to living in constant danger and a lack of necessities.
"We must be safe in our homes … We don't have education, we don't have food, we don't have water, we don't have electricity, we don't have future," he says.
Instead, his main wish is for his "daughters to be safe" and to be granted a protection visa that allows him to work and start his life in Australia.
Pocock calls for humanitarian visas for those fleeing Gaza
Eyad arrived in Australia on a visitor visa, which means he has the same rights as a temporary tourist in Australia. These visa holders cannot work and don't have access to healthcare or education.
In a statement to SBS News, Pocock said he has "repeatedly" called on the government to issue a quota of humanitarian visas for people fleeing Gaza, "and to give those who are here the support they need".
"Despite this, I am not aware of any move by the government to start offering humanitarian visas to people fleeing Gaza since I questioned the department at the last estimates hearings," he said.
"The only option for people fleeing Gaza has been to apply for a tourist visa and then a bridging visa if they make it to Australia."
Since the October 7 attack, the government has granted 2,823 temporary visas to people declaring Palestinian citizenship, including 2,499 visitor visas, as of 30 June. It has granted 3,309 visitor visas to people declaring Israeli citizenship, as of 31 March.
As of 31 May, 1,120 Palestinians had arrived in Australia. Of those, 422 had applied for a protection (subclass 866) visa. There were 387 Palestinian bridging visa holders — seven who have been granted a bridging visa E (BVE).
During two days of Senate hearings in late May, Pocock, along with Greens senator David Shoebridge, questioned Department of Home Affairs officials about visas offered to those fleeing Gaza.
When asked by Pocock about the number of humanitarian stay subclass 449 visas that had been offered to people fleeing Gaza, the department's Damien Kilner responded: "The answer is zero."
"That visa has not been made available to Palestinians. The visitor visa is the visa available to individuals."
Pocock said in his statement that Australia "should be consistent in its approach to supporting people fleeing conflict".
"In the initial stages of the Ukraine conflict, the Australian government provided 11,500 Temporary Humanitarian Stay visas to people fleeing. Similarly, 5,000 of these visas were granted to Afghan nationals after Kabul fell to the Taliban," he said.
"The inconsistency … causes distress and concern in communities here in Australia. It creates a sense of injustice and unequal treatment."
In a statement to SBS News, a Department of Home Affairs spokesperson said it has ensured those who arrive on a temporary visa may apply for an initial 12-month BVE.
They said: "Anyone who has arrived in Australia as a result of the ongoing conflict in Israel or the Occupied Palestinian Territories is not limited to one visa pathway".
Recognising that "everyone's situation is different", they said "there are a wide range of visa options across Australia’s migration and visa programs that provide avenues for people to apply for family, skilled, humanitarian and temporary stay in Australia".
The spokesperson said any visa responses are considered as part of the department's "whole of government effort" to the Hamas-Israel conflict.
"The government continues to monitor the situation in the affected areas and the impacts on the people of the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Israel."
'Time for the government to step up that support'
These temporary visas, lasting three to 12 months, leave people like Eyad reliant on the community's goodwill, and organisations like Palestinian Australian Relief and Action (PARA).
PARA was established to help Palestinians fleeing the war, whether it be assisting them with the process to Australia or necessities such as food, transport, and housing when they arrive.
Rasha Abbas, PARA founder and executive director, said the community has been "overwhelmingly generous" but is "exhausted", and urged the government to bolster both funding and services.
Rasha said the PARA team's support ranges from helping people with visa requirements so they can leave Gaza to navigating everyday tasks like finding things on Google. Source: SBS News
The government has provided $2 million in emergency financial assistance for those arriving from areas of Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories and deemed to be under financial hardship.
However, Abbas said there has been a lack of support and accessibility to assistance, such as settlement services, social support and medical support, compared with other conflicts.
Abbas said those arriving were traumatised and had complex obstacles to overcome including a language barrier and health issues. They also have to navigate more simple things like Australia's rubbish system or using public transport.
She said many families found it hard to rely on charity, and that the appropriate visa status with working rights would allow them to make a positive impact.
SBS News requested comment from the Home Affairs Department in response to PARA's concerns.
"We are dealing with doctors and lawyers and surgeons and dermatologists," Abbas said.
Eyad is eager to contribute his skillset to the Australian community, with previous roles at a bank and managing an orphanage in Gaza. Source: Supplied
This includes Eyad, who Abbas recalls wanted to help the moment he was picked up from Melbourne airport.
"I literally said to him, 'Eyad, you just landed.'"
Eyad, a former banker, spent the last 10 years managing the al-Amal Olive Kids Orphanage in Gaza. He hopes he can soon give back to the Australian community that has supported his family.
"We hope to make added value to this community because we have our experience and many talents," he said.
"Palestinian people coming here, they can help Australia to be great."
