Arindam Bagchi stated, "I think there are about a dozen people in the West Bank and three to four people in Gaza. So, if they request assistance, we will provide it. For the moment, we have not received an assistance request."
In response to the Israel-Hamas conflict, India initiated "Operation Ajay," aimed at facilitating the return of Indians who wished to come back from Israel.
Regarding this operation, the MEA elaborated, "The flight is expected to reach Israel this evening, and hopefully pick up passengers and come back tomorrow morning. We expect about 230 passengers."
The situation in Israel remains dynamic, and Indian residents were urged to register with the embassy. Arindam Bagchi emphasized, "The focus is on Indians in Israel. Those who wish to come back home can come back. There are about 18,000 Indian citizens in Israel, and a small percentage of them are students. So, we are in touch with them."
The MEA also confirmed that one Indian individual sustained injuries during the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, but thankfully, there have been no reports of Indian casualties thus far.
The MEA concluded by emphasizing that the primary focus remains on assisting people rather than immediate evacuation.
