A third chartered flight, which was part of Operation Ajay, successfully transported 197 Indian citizens from conflict-ridden Israel, touching down in Delhi early on Sunday. This effort is part of a broader operation initiated in response to the unexpected and extensive hostilities between Hamas and Israel that commenced on October 7.
At the Delhi airport, Union Minister Kaushal Kishore was on hand to welcome the returning Indian nationals. As a gesture of their homecoming, the minister presented each of the individuals with an Indian flag.
Upon their arrival in India, one of the passengers conveyed gratitude to the Indian government for its evacuation efforts, remarking, "We are thankful to the Government of India. We were feeling scared there. We are thankful to the government for this initiative (Operation Ajay)."
Another passenger, Preeti Sharma, shared her sentiments regarding their return, stating, "I think it's a very good initiative by the Government of India. And I would like to thank our Minister (S) Jaishankar for this initiative. I think India was among the first countries which evacuated...And more than us, I think our families are very happy and they would be much more thankful."
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar shared a video featuring the 197 Indian nationals aboard the flight, enthusiastically chanting slogans like 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' and 'Vande Mataram'.
Previously, the first charter flight from Israel transported 212 individuals on Thursday, followed by a second group of 235 Indian nationals arriving late on Friday.
The fourth flight, with 274 Indian nationals on board, departed from Tel Aviv for Delhi at 11:45 pm local time on Saturday. In total, 918 Indian citizens have been evacuated from Israel under Operation Ajay.
The Embassy of India in Israel has been actively coordinating the evacuation efforts and encouraging eligible Indian nationals to complete a travel form in order to secure travel slots. Travel slots have been allocated on a 'first come, first served' basis, and individuals who refuse to travel after their slots are confirmed will be moved to the end of the queue.
It is important to note that the Indian government is covering the expenses associated with the return of these Indian evacuees from Israel.
Currently, Israel is home to approximately 18,000 Indian nationals, including caregivers, students, IT professionals, and diamond traders. The voluntary evacuation of Indian citizens became necessary following the extensive attack launched by Hamas militants based in the Gaza Strip against Israel on October 7, which included land, air, and sea assaults.
Since the initiation of the conflict, more than 1,300 people have lost their lives in Israel, and counter-airstrikes conducted by Israel have resulted in the deaths of at least 1,900 individuals in Gaza.
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