- By Kamal Kumar
- Thu, 12 Oct 2023 05:59 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Israel-Hamas War: India will evacuate the first batch of around 230 of its citizens from Israel on Friday in a chartered flight under Operation Ajay, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) informed media in a weekly press briefing here in Delhi on Thursday.
India launched the operation to facilitate the return of those Indians who wish to come back home as a series of brazen attacks on Israeli towns by Hamas militants over the weekend triggered fresh tensions in the region.
Also Read: What Is Operation Ajay? India's Rescue Mission To Bring Indians Back From War-Torn Israel
MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said while briefing media on Thursday that the chartered flight is expected to reach Tel Aviv this evening and it will bring back the first batch of around 230 Indians on Friday.
"As announced by EAM yesterday, Operation Ajay has been launched to facilitate the return from Israel of our citizens who wish to come back. The first charter flight will be reaching Tel Aviv later tonight to pick up the Indian citizens and is likely to return to India tomorrow morning," he said.
He also requested that Indian citizens living in Israel to get register themselves at the embassy if they have not done it yet. Arindam Bagchi also said that there are almost 18000 Indians in Israel right now and as of now, no Indian casualty has been reported.
On being asked India's assessment of the situation he said that we are closely monitoring the situation. He also reiterated the previous position taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the nature of Hamas's attacks as being terrorist attacks.
Also Read: Israel Attacks Two Major Airports In Syria Amid War With Hamas: Report
To a question on India's position on the Palestine issue, he said New Delhi always advocated resumption of direct talks towards the establishment of a sovereign, independent and viable state of Palestine living side-by-side and at peace with Israel.
Meanwhile, the government has also issued helpline numbers for the people in need of assistance.
A 24-hour control room in New Delhi is monitoring the situation in Israel and Palestine and they have issued helpline numbers for the control room: 1800118797 (toll-free), +91-11 23012113, +91-11-23014104, +91-11-23017905 and +919968291988, and the email ID is situationroom@mea.gov.in.The Indian embassy’s 24-hour emergency helpline can be accessed on the numbers +972-35226748 and +972-543278392, and the email ID cons1.telaviv@mea.gov.in.
