It's one of the first toys she's been given after she and her family fled from Gaza to Australia on temporary visas a week ago. 

As Eleen (Above centre) sat quietly next to her six-year-old brother Yusef (Above right) on the floor of the family's new home in Melbourne, she brushed her doll's hair with a smile. 

Yusef doesn't speak much English yet but says he loves the pizza here, as he played Minecraft on the family's newly donated laptop.

Their parents and grandparents watched on, reminiscing the difficult past five months since the start of the latest conflict.

"We displaced so many times, I can't even remember how many," said Rami, Eleen's father.

The family's journey to Australia wasn't easy.

As they made their way to board flights in Istanbul, Turkey — after making their way to the Rafah border and a brief stay in Cairo, Egypt — Rami said they were "surprised" to learn his and his wife's tourist visas were cancelled, while his three children's and parents' visas were unaffected.

He said he was not told the reason why. 

The Department of Home Affairs told the ABC some visas were cancelled while additional checks were undertaken.

They said visas had been cancelled in cases where individuals had left Gaza without explanation, or where there had been another significant change in their circumstances.

Rami's father, Atef Eissa, boarded the flight to Australia, and the rest of the family were stranded for three days before their visas were reinstated.

Atef arrived in Australia almost two weeks ago, joining his wife who had arrived earlier that month.

Rami said their journey was particularly rough on their children, who just wanted a space to play.

'Families want to stand on their own two feet':

Palestinian Australian Relief Appeal (PARA) along with other community organisations said they worked with the Australian government to expedite their visas.

Manal Shehab (Above left) from the community volunteer group Sisters 4 Sisters Support Services — a partner of PARA's — said volunteers at PARA worked "overnight without any sleep" to provide support for the family.

Organisations including PARA and Sisters for Sisters, which have been assisting with the resettlement of newly arrived Gazans, are calling for the government to provide more support.

"Right now, families want to stand on their own two feet," Manal said.

"The tourist visa they're on now doesn't allow them to work, and a lot of them do [want to] work and want to make an income.

"I feel like the government has to stand up, just like it did with the Ukrainian people [who arrived in Australia]."

Since February 2022, nearly 11,400 Ukrainian visa holders have arrived in Australia.

The Department of Home Affairs said they can access standard visa pathways, including the skilled, family, student and visitor visa programs.

Ukrainian nationals who have arrived on a temporary visa and are unable to access standard visa pathways or cannot return to Ukraine, may also apply for bridging and protection visas.

'At any moment we can die':

Back in Gaza, Israel says it has killed and arrested hundreds of Hamas fighters who were using Al-Shifa Hospital as a base.

Hamas and medical staff deny fighters were present and say civilians, doctors and nurses have been rounded up.

The death toll in Gaza has reached 32,226 to date, according to health officials.

It comes as the United Nations Security Council calls for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and the immediate, unconditional release of all hostages.

Rami said they were "lucky" to get out of Gaza.

"At any time, at any moment, we can die, just like that," he said.

Eleen's mother, Yasmine, who's left her entire family behind in Gaza, said she often had to calm her children down during the bombing.

"I talked to them [my kids] and tell them not to be afraid," she said.

"But my three-year-old son would look at the rockets in the sky and not be afraid [because] he didn't understand and thought it was a game or a toy."

Rami, who was working as a journalist at his father Atef's media company, said the war also destroyed their livelihoods and they needed to start all over again.

He added that all they have left of their home are the memories stored on their phones.

"It was very hard and very difficult because … we [still] don't know anything about [the condition of our houses] right now," he said.

Leaving with nothing but the clothes on their back, the family has relied heavily on donations from community support services and not-for-profit organisations. 

"I miss Gaza yeah. But when I was in Gaza, I was so sad," Eleen said.

"I like Australia so much I'm so excited that I'm here. I'm happy."

Their first Ramadan in Australia:

The family is looking forward to spending their first Ramadan in Australia with their local communities, who they say have been "very welcoming".

Being able to have basics like food and water is a blessing, they said, and despite the hardship they've faced, they're thankful to have survived.

"We are fasting right now and it's very hard because of time difference," Rami said.

"It's very difficult for us and [the days are] longer here in Australia," he added, referring to the sun setting later in Australia.

Atef said they hope to return to Gaza when the war is over.

"We are peaceful people, we are professionals, we are educated," he said.

"We just need our routine daily life.

"We are in a safe place now and thankful to Australia, but we hope the war is over very soon so we can go back and reconstruct to live a normal life."

Original Story By | Zena Chamas