The second phase of ‘Operation Ajay’ witnessed the safe return of approximately 235 Indian nationals, including two infants, from the tumultuous Israel. This special flight, organized to facilitate their repatriation, touched down in New Delhi on a Saturday morning.
Minister of State for External Affairs, Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, personally welcomed these returning citizens at the Delhi airport. This follows the successful evacuation of 212 Indian nationals from Israel on the preceding Friday.
The evacuation process is set to continue in the forthcoming days. ‘Operation Ajay’ was initiated by India on Wednesday to bring its citizens back home, ensuring their safety and well-being. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar formally launched the operation, emphasizing the deployment of special charter flights and other essential arrangements.
Passenger selection was conducted on a ‘first come, first serve’ basis after the Indian embassy initiated a drive for all citizens to register in the mission’s database.
The urgent evacuation of Indian nationals became necessary following a violent incident where armed Hamas militants breached the Israeli security fence, infiltrating Israel by land, air, and sea, resulting in an unprecedented attack.
This incident has led to over 1,300 casualties in Israel and more than 1,530 in Gaza due to Israeli counter-airstrikes. Israel reported approximately 1,500 Hamas militants were killed within its borders during these hostilities.
