Operation Ajay to bring home Indians stuck in war-torn Israel
As the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas gets deadlier, the Indian government has launched Operation Ajay to bring back Indians stranded in the war-torn country. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said special chartered flights and other measures are being organized to ensure the safe return of Indians. The Indian Embassy in Israel emailed to inform the first batch of Indians who registered to return that the first flight would take off on Thursday.
18,000 Indians in Israel
Operation Ajay is a repatriation operation rather than a rescue one, the Hindustan Times reported. There are around 18,000 Indians in Israel, including students, academicians, and traders. Apart from special chartered flights, Indian Navy ships would also be deployed, if needed. The Indian mission in Israel said, "Messages to other registered people will follow for subsequent flights." Jaishankar also spoke to his counterpart in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, on Wednesday.
Fully committed to the safety of our nationals: Jaishankar
24-hour control room monitoring situation
Furthermore, a 24-hour control room has been set up in New Delhi to monitor the situation in Israel and Palestine. The contact numbers for the control room are 1800118797 (toll-free), +91-11-23012113, +91-11-23014104, +91-11-23017905 and +91-99682-91988, and the email ID is situationroom@mea.gov.in. The Indian mission's 24-hour emergency helpline can be reached on the numbers +972-35226748 and +972-543278392, and the email ID cons1.telaviv@mea.gov.in.
27 Meghalaya residents evacuated
Israel's Consul General in Mumbai, Kobbi Shoshani, said so far there is no information about any Indian national being killed or injured in the ongoing crisis. As many as 27 Meghalaya residents, including Rajya Sabha member Wanweiroy Kharlukhi, who had gone on a pilgrimage to Bethlehem, were stuck there as clashes erupted. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) arranged their return through Egypt's Cairo.
Which countries have begun evacuation operations?
Other countries that have begun evacuating their citizens from Israel include Argentina, Brazil, Nigeria, Spain, South Korea, and Switzerland. The countries whose citizens have been killed in the conflict include Argentina (7), Cambodia (1), Canada (1), France (2), Russia (1), Thailand (18), Ukraine (2), the United Kingdom (1), and the United States (11), Al Jazeera reported. Hamas has allegedly taken about 150 hostages, including at least 14 Thais, two Mexicans, and an unknown number of Americans and Germans.
