An estimated 18,000 Indian citizens live and work in Israel.
235 Indians, including two infants, were brought home safely from Israel today under the banner of 'Operation Ajay', a day after 212 others were flown out amid the country's ongoing war with the Palestinian group Hamas.
India launched 'Operation Ajay' on Thursday to evacuate its citizens from Israel following Hamas's land-sea-air offensive on October 7, which has exacerbated tensions in the war-torn region. The first charter flight carrying Indian citizens from Israel left Ben Gurion Airport late Thursday with 211 adults and an infant.
Dr Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs and Education, received the Indian contingent after their plane landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in the national capital today.
The Indian embassy in Israel registered all Indian citizens who wished to leave the country and selected passengers for the first charter flight on a first-come, first-served basis. The government is covering the cost of their return.
An estimated 18,000 Indian citizens live and work in Israel, providing a variety of services, including caregiving, education, and IT support.
Their evacuation was necessitated after the region plunged into war following the Palestinian group Hamas's land-sea-air assault on Israel. The attack killed over 1,300 Israelis, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare a "state of war".