The federal government has offered its condolences to the family of a Sydney-born woman killed by Islamic militants in Israel, as it considers putting on rescue flights.

Grandmother Galit Carbone, 66, was executed at the Be’eri kibbutz, kilometres from the Gaza Strip after the terrorist group Hamas launched deadly land and air attacks on Israel’s southern border on Saturday.

“This is heartbreaking news,” Home Affair Minister Clare O’Neil told Seven’s Sunrise program on Wednesday.

“What’s happened here is a senseless act of violence … and the Australian government condemns it in the strongest possible terms.

“I say to the Jewish community, we’re standing with you, wrapping our arms around and you and I express my deepest condolences for what has happened.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong is leading efforts by the government to help the estimated 10,000 Australian residents or travellers in Israel who want to leave.

Asked if rescue flights were being considered, O’Neil said “we are looking at all options at the moment and we’ll do whatever is necessary”.

But Australians in Israel have expressed frustration at the government for not offering a safe pathway home. Keanu Vincente told ABC TV he felt stranded.

“Especially when I’m seeing constant other repatriation flights coming from other countries,” he said.

“It would feel a lot safer and a lot more guaranteed to have the Australian government doing those flights for all of the Australians here.”

Asher Lilley, who is stranded in Tel Aviv with her sister, said the situation was terrifying. The pair have a commercial flight booked but are worried about cancellations.

“Every single day, more and more flights are getting cancelled and all we can do is just hope that we are actually going to be able to get out,” she told Nine’s Today program.

Lilley said the Australian embassy had told her “we hope it works out” when she made contact and told them she had a commercial flight booked.

“[It was] as if we just missed a flight, whereas we’re stuck in a literal war zone,” she said.

“The communication has been shocking and it’s just not good enough … what’s the point of having an embassy if they’re not doing their job.

“We need to do better – it’s so scary being stuck in a war zone, we just want to get out, we just want to get home.”

More than 1000 people are dead after the Islamist group Hamas attacked Israeli towns from the Palestinian territories.

The dead were overwhelmingly civilians who were gunned down in homes, on streets and at an outdoor dance party.

Scores of Israelis and some foreigners were captured and taken to Gaza as hostages. Some were paraded through the streets.

News Corp has reported mother of two Adi Kaplon, the daughter-in-law of an Australian man, is being held hostage by Hamas.

The Australian government has not confirmed any hostages.

The Israeli government has ordered a complete siege that will cut off food, fuel, water and electricity to Gaza.

Hamas – which Australia has designated a terrorist organisation – has threatened to kill hostages if the bombing continues without warning.

Tweet from @SenatorWong

In Australia, the Palestinian community remains frustrated by the response of the federal government and other political leaders to the attack and the Israeli response.

“Palestinian Australians and their supporters have felt horrified by the one-sided response,” Australia Palestine Advocacy Network president Nasser Mashni said.

“[Israel] must not be given carte blanche to think they can get away with a genocide”.

Wong said civilians must be protected but has not weighed in on whether restraint should be exercised by Tel Aviv when it came to the blockade.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged Palestinian suffering over a long period but added “nothing justified what we saw on the weekend.”

– AAP