In response to the ongoing conflict between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas, the Indian government has launched ‘Operation Ajay’ to repatriate Indian citizens stranded in Israel. The first charter flight under this operation arrived in New Delhi, carrying 212 Indian passengers, including an infant. The flight departed from Ben Gurion airport in Israel and was organized on a ‘first come first serve’ basis.
Commercial operations to and from Israel were suspended by Air India and other airlines as the war intensified on October 7. ‘Operation Ajay’ involves special chartered flights to bring back Indian citizens, with the Indian Navy prepared to deploy ships if necessary.
With the conflict entering its seventh day, casualty numbers on both sides have risen to over 2,800, while approximately 423,000 people have been displaced from their homes. Notably, there are around 18,000 Indians in Israel, including students, professionals, and traders.
The Ministry of External Affairs has established a 24-hour control room in New Delhi to monitor the situation in Israel and Palestine. Contact details for the control room include toll-free phone number 1800118797, as well as +91-11 23012113, +91-11-23014104, +91-11-23017905, and +919968291988. Additionally, they can be reached via email at situationroom@mea.gov.in.
For further assistance, the Indian embassy in Israel has a 24-hour emergency helpline, reachable at +972-35226748 and +972-543278392, as well as via email at cons1.telaviv@mea.gov.in.
