The arrival of the second contingent of 235 Indian nationals, including two infants, from Israel to New Delhi occurred on a Saturday. The flight took off at 11.02 pm local time, marking the second wave of returning citizens from the conflict-ridden region. This followed the arrival of the first batch of 212 Indians just the day before, arriving on Friday amidst the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
India initiated ‘Operation Ajay’ on Thursday to facilitate the safe return of those who wished to come back home, in response to the attacks on Israeli towns by Hamas militants from Gaza on October 7, which had escalated tensions in the volatile region.
In an official statement, the Indian Embassy conveyed, “The Embassy has emailed the next lot of registered Indian citizens for the special flight today. Messages to other registered people will follow for subsequent flights.” This underscores the ongoing efforts to bring Indians back home from the conflict zone.
Suryakant Tiwari, a PhD student at Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, expressed his gratitude to the Indian government for ‘Operation Ajay’, saying, “I really want to thank the Government of India for evacuating us from the war situation in Israel… Our government has evacuated us from such a situation under ‘Operation Ajay,” acknowledging the importance of the evacuation efforts.
The first charter flight that facilitated the return of Indian citizens from Israel departed late on Thursday evening from the Ben Gurion airport, carrying 211 adults and an infant who had been living in the war-affected area. This flight reached the Indian capital on Friday morning, providing much-needed relief to those returning.
Passengers for these flights were selected on a “first-come, first-serve” basis through a registration drive initiated by the Indian embassy, with the government covering the cost of their return. Notably, there are approximately 18,000 Indian nationals residing and working in Israel, encompassing a diverse range of professionals, including caregivers, students, IT professionals, and diamond traders.
The evacuation of Indian nationals became imperative following a significant breach in Israeli security, as armed Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip infiltrated Israel by land, air, and sea. This unprecedented attack has led to a substantial loss of life, with over 1,300 casualties in Israel and more than 1,530 in Gaza. Israel has reported the elimination of approximately 1,500 Hamas militants within its borders, further underscoring the severity of the situation.
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