A chartered flight, AI 140, carrying 235 Indian citizens from Israel touched down at Delhi's airport on a Saturday morning. The External Affairs Ministry spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi, announced the arrival of the second flight bringing these citizens to the national capital. He even took to the social media platform X to share images of the passengers on board.
Notably, out of the 235 individuals on this flight, 33 were residents of Kerala, as confirmed by the Kerala government.
The evacuation comes in the midst of heightened tensions sparked by brazen attacks on Israeli towns by Hamas militants from Gaza on October 7.
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The flight, part of the ongoing evacuation operation, departed at 11.02 pm local time on Friday. The Indian Embassy has been actively communicating with registered citizens, notifying them about upcoming flights. The evacuation process is set to persist in the coming days, PTI reported.
Expressing gratitude, Suryakant Tiwari, a PhD student at Bar-Ilan University, Safed, commended the Indian government for its swift response under 'Operation Ajay.' The first charter flight, which left on Thursday evening, carried 211 adults and an infant from the conflict-ridden region, arriving in the Indian capital on Friday morning.
The evacuation initiative was triggered by the recent surge in violence in Israel, where armed Hamas militants breached the Israeli security fence, infiltrating the country by land, air, and sea. The situation has resulted in a tragic toll, with over 1,300 casualties in Israel and more than 1,530 in Gaza, as per reports. Israel claims that approximately 1,500 Hamas militants were killed within its borders.
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The evacuation effort is vital as there are around 18,000 Indian nationals, including caregivers, students, IT professionals, and diamond traders, residing and working in Israel. Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar personally welcomed the returning passengers, extending heartfelt greetings and emphasizing, "Welcome home."
