Paul and Audrey West depart Israel - 29 others awaiting flights

The Wests had organised a pilgrimage to Israel for a group of 34 people, mostly from Newcastle.

Their daughter Brittany West said on Tuesday morning that "my parents and two others have just managed to leave on a flight".

Thirty others have flights scheduled over the next few days.

"Although some have already been cancelled and rescheduled," Ms West said.

The group, connected through Mayfield's Grainery Church, had been travelling together in Israel for what was supposed to be a two-week holiday.

The church's senior pastor Sue Irwin said 23 members of the group were booked on flights to leave at 8pm on Tuesday night.

The seven others were due to fly out on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

"We're hoping those flights won't be cancelled," Mrs Irwin said.

Group members were staying in a hotel in Tel Aviv, which had a concrete shelter on each floor.

"It's touch and go and very volatile," Ms West said.

Mr West, a pastor at Mayfield's Grainery Church, told the Newcastle Herald from Tel Aviv on Monday that he had seen rockets exploding in the distance from his hotel and sounds of "thud, thud, thud".

"It's sad for the Israelis and your everyday Palestinian trying to raise a family and live their life," he said.

Ms West said her parents left on an Emirates flight, which family members had booked for $10,000.

It involved flights from Tel Aviv to Dubai, Dubai to Manilla and Manilla to Sydney.

"It was very delayed. There were huge delays at the airport, which was pretty concerning. We obviously didn't want them hanging around at the airport for too long."

Some families of group members arranged new commercial flight bookings to bring them home, but others kept their original return flights for this week.

"We couldn't get them all on one flight. Travel agents weren't very helpful. Qantas wouldn't even let us do a one-way booking that originated in Tel Aviv," Ms West said.

"I have four siblings in my family and we spent the whole Sunday trying to make bookings. It was super expensive and some people don't have access to that kind of money instantly."

Ms West said it was a "huge relief" that her parents had left Israel, but "we're still very anxious about getting the rest of the group out".

"Until every single one of them is safe, we'll still be in this state of anxiety."

Kaylea Tilsley, of Adamstown, said her mum Leanne, stepdad Craig and sister Rachael were part of the group.

They were due to fly out of Israel on Tuesday.

"They've seemed a lot calmer than us, but I think that's so we're not all freaking out too much. It's been really stressful," Ms Tilsley said.

She said insurance companies weren't covering flights because war had been declared.

So her family members chose to fly home on their scheduled Emirates flight, rather than pay a premium to leave earlier.

"We won't feel peace until we know they've landed in Dubai," Ms Tilsley said.

Ms West said the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade [DFAT] had been "very frustrating".

"It seems there's so many countries evacuating their citizens and acting swiftly, except for the Australian government," she said.

"I think they're just hoping people will get out on their own flights and they don't have to actually do anything."

DFAT said on Tuesday night it was "providing consular assistance" to the Newcastle tour group in Israel.

On Monday night, it said "we are seeking to confirm the welfare of Australians who may have been caught in the attack on Israel".

"Australian officials are monitoring the situation closely and remain in touch with local authorities.

"We are aware that some flights from Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport have been delayed or cancelled. Australians are encouraged to check with their airline for the latest updates before travelling."

DFAT urged Australians in need of emergency consular assistance to contact the government's 24-hour consular emergency centre on +61 2 6261 3305 (from overseas) or 1300 555 135 (from within Australia).

Ms West said the hotline had been "really useless and in a lot of ways very unsympathetic".

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