Starting from the beginning of last week, Israel has imposed a complete siege on the Gaza Strip, resulting in a lack of crucial resources, including water, electricity, fuel, and food supplies. This situation follows a terrorist attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on October 7th. Many Australians with family or friends in Israel, the Palestinian territories are eager to maintain contact and ensure the safety of their loved ones. Additionally, Afghanistan has experienced its third earthquake in a week. Nevertheless, long-distance and SMS communication to these regions can be expensive. Currently, some mobile carriers are supporting the Australian community by waiving charges.
Carriers that waived charges for calls to Israel, the Palestinian territories, and Afghanistan
To help Australians save time and money, we have compiled a list of carriers that offer free calls or text services to Israel, the Palestinian territories, and Afghanistan.
| Carrier | Services | Eligible Plans | Destinations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telstra | Talk | pre-paid & post-paid mobiles, home phones | Israel, the Palestinian territories, Afghanistan |
| Mate | Talk | Mobiles | Israel, the Palestinian territories, Afghanistan |
| TeleChoice | Talk | pre-paid & post-paid mobiles | Israel, the Palestinian territories, Afghanistan |
| Belong | Talk | All Mobile Plans | Israel, the Palestinian territories, Afghanistan |
| ALDImobile | Talk & SMS | All Plans | Israel, the Palestinian territories, Afghanistan |
| Tangerine | TALK | Mobile Plans | Israel, the Palestinian territories, Afghanistan |
FAQ
An application is not required; qualifying plans will automatically come with these complimentary services.
The free service period expires on October 24.
