'She was an angel': Aya's family depart Australia ahead of funeral in Israel

The father of Aya Maasarwe has remembered his daughter as an “angel”, as his family returns home to Israel with her body.

Saaed Maasarwe and relatives boarded a flight out of Melbourne this afternoon with numerous notes, artworks and other tributes which have been left since the student was found dead last week.

Mr Maasarwe became tearful at the airport as he prepared to jet home to Israel with his daughter's body.

In an exclusive interview with Future Women's editor-at-large, Jamila Rivzi, he remembered the 21-year-old as a light of positivity.

"She was like [an] angel, even when she was born ... Her smile makes you smile, her laugh makes you laugh. She looked every time in the light and in the positive and in the sky."

Speaking on his daughter’s legacy, Mr Maasarwe expressed hopes for a more peaceful world.

"If this, our tragedy, can make the world, make Australia also better and more beautiful and can save the life of more people - this is the message we want to send, for peace, for love each other,” he told Rivzi.

"I wish for her to be in the paradise and everything to be good for her in another way... another place she is now.”

READ MORE: The Message Aya's Father Hopes We Can Take From Her Death

Earlier today, one of Ms Maasarwe’s sisters, Noor, posted on Instagram an artwork with the words "Dare to Dream", noting that her sibling had big dreams.

"She was living a dream in Melbourne, a dream that ended up being worst (sic) than a nightmare," she wrote.

Noor had been on the phone to Ms Maasarwe when she was attacked at the northern suburb of Bundoora last week.

"Violence against women is not a women issue, it is a men issue.

"No one deserve to be treated like that."

But Noor also left Australia with a positive message.

 https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs26gD5B_Un/

"A BIG thanks to the people of Australia, Baqa al Gharbiyye and people from around the world for their love, care and support. Reminding us that there are still good people in the world."

At a Dandenong mosque last night where hundreds of people gathered in tribute to Ms Maasarwe, Mr Maasarwe made a heartfelt plea for "more peace".

"We want to make the world more peace (sic) and more safety and more beautiful, and more smile and more forgive each other. This is the message we want to send. This is not me, but Aiia," he told reporters.

"I wish all the people see the light and go to the light. Don't be in the dark. And to think positive."

The body of the Palestinian student will be buried in line with her Muslim faith after a funeral tomorrow.

Mr Maasarwe visited the spot at the northern suburb of Bundoora where his daughter was found last Wednesday morning.

The night before the student of a college at La Trobe University had alighted a tram and was walking home after visiting a city comedy club.

Codey Herrmann, 20, has been charged with Ms Maasarwe's rape and murder.

Victorian upper house MP Jeff Bourman has used Ms Maasarwe's death in a renewed push for the legalisation of "non-lethal self-defence" items.

The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party representative has previously called for "people of good standing" to be able to legally obtain items including a Taser and pepper spray to defend themselves.

"We need to allow innocent people the option to level the playing field," he said in statement.

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With AAP

Editor’s note: The spelling of Ms Maasarwe's first name has been changed from Aiia to Aya in accordance with a request to 9News from the Maasarwe family.