File image of Indian passengers who came back to India from Tel Aviv under ‘Operation Ajay’.
| Photo Credit: ANI

A special flight carrying 143 persons, including two Nepalese citizens and four infants, wanting to leave Israel amidst the Israel-Hamas conflict, left for India on Sunday as part of ‘Operation Ajay’.

It was the sixth flight as part of Operation Ajay launched on October 12 to facilitate the return of those Indian nationals who wish to return home following the brazen attacks on Israeli towns by Hamas militants from Gaza on October 7.

Eighteen Nepalese nationals were earlier accommodated on the special flight last Tuesday.

The voluntary departure of Indian nationals was necessitated after armed Hamas militants based in the Gaza Strip launched an unprecedented attack on Israel by land, air, and sea on October 7.

So far, five chartered flights from Tel Aviv arrived in Delhi with nearly 1,200 passengers, including children.

Since the start of hostilities, nearly 4,400 Palestinians have been killed.

According to official Israeli sources, at least 1,400 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed in Israel.

File image of Indian passengers who came back to India from Tel Aviv under ‘Operation Ajay’.
| Photo Credit: ANI

A special flight carrying 143 persons, including two Nepalese citizens and four infants, wanting to leave Israel amidst the Israel-Hamas conflict, left for India on Sunday as part of ‘Operation Ajay’.

It was the sixth flight as part of Operation Ajay launched on October 12 to facilitate the return of those Indian nationals who wish to return home following the brazen attacks on Israeli towns by Hamas militants from Gaza on October 7.

Eighteen Nepalese nationals were earlier accommodated on the special flight last Tuesday.

The voluntary departure of Indian nationals was necessitated after armed Hamas militants based in the Gaza Strip launched an unprecedented attack on Israel by land, air, and sea on October 7.

So far, five chartered flights from Tel Aviv arrived in Delhi with nearly 1,200 passengers, including children.

Since the start of hostilities, nearly 4,400 Palestinians have been killed.

According to official Israeli sources, at least 1,400 Israelis and foreign nationals have been killed in Israel.

Jerusalem:

A special flight carrying 274 Indian nationals wanting to leave Israel amidst the Israel-Hamas war left for home on Saturday, the second in a day and fourth since the launch of ‘Operation Ajay’.

#OperationAjay | Fourth flight carrying 274 Indian nationals departs from Israel’s Tel Aviv.

(Pics source: EAM Dr S Jaishankar’s Twitter handle) pic.twitter.com/bPxvwNf815

— ANI (@ANI) October 14, 2023

The special flights are part of the operation launched on October 12 to facilitate the return of those Indian nationals who wish to return home following the brazen attacks on Israeli towns by Hamas militants from Gaza on October 7.

The Indian Embassy in Tel Aviv earlier earlier announced that two special flights will operate from Ben Gurion airport on Saturday.

The first flight left around 5.40 pm local time. The second flight with 274 Indian nationals took off at 11.45 pm local time.

The third batch of 197 Indian nationals left for home around 5.40 pm local time (8.10 pm IST).

“#OperationAjay moves forward. 197 more passengers are coming back to India,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar posted on X.

The Embassy of India in Israel posted on X,”As part of #OperationAjay, Indian nationals still in Israel and wishing to travel back to India are urgently requested to complete the attached travel form.” The Indian Embassy also issued guidelines that ” travel slots will be allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis in the ‘Operation Ajay’ and “In the event of a no-show or refusal to travel after confirmation and slotting, your name will be moved to the back of the queue.” “The Embassy has been working round the clock to facilitate all our citizens in Israel who wish to leave. We have reached out to students, caregivers, and business people. Some of them are actually working with us as volunteers. We urge everyone to remain calm,” Ambassador Sanjeev Singla told PTI.

“The Embassy has emailed the next lot of registered Indian citizens for two special flights today. Messages to other registered people will follow for subsequent flights,” the Indian Embassy in Israel posted the announcement on X earlier in the day.

The passengers are chosen on a “first come first serve” basis after a drive launched by the Indian embassy for all Indians to register at the mission’s database. The government is bearing the cost of their return.

The first charter flight from Israel carried 212 people on Thursday. The second batch of 235 Indian nationals was flown back late on Friday. So far, a total of 918 Indian nationals have been flown out of Israel.

There are about 18,000 Indian nationals living and working in Israel including caregivers, students, several IT professionals, and diamond traders.

The voluntary departure of Indian nationals was necessitated after armed Hamas militants based in the Gaza Strip launched an unprecedented attack on Israel by land, air, and sea on October 7.

Since then, the attack has killed more than 1,300 people in Israel while the Israeli counter-airstrikes have killed at least 1,900 people in Gaza.

On Saturday, the Israeli military said that it has prepared a “coordinated” offensive in the Gaza Strip involving air, ground and naval forces. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Jerusalem:

The third batch of 197 Indians wanting to leave Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war is on their way home on a special flight.

Special flights are being operated as part of “Operation Ajay”, launched on October 12, to facilitate the return of Indians who wish to return home amid the attacks on Israeli towns by Hamas from Gaza on October 7.

“Operation Ajay moves forward. 197 more passengers are coming back to India,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar posted on X.

The Indian Embassy in Tel Aviv has announced that two special flights will operate from the Ben Gurion Airport on Saturday.

The first flight left around 5:40 pm local time, while the second is scheduled at 11 pm local time and can carry 330 passengers.

The third batch of 197 Indian nationals left for home around 5:40 pm local time.

Meanwhile, the Embassy of India in Israel posted on X, “As part of Operation Ajay, Indian nationals still in Israel and wishing to travel back to India are urgently requested to complete the attached travel form.” The Indian Embassy also issued guidelines that ” travel slots will be allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis in the ‘Operation Ajay’ and “In the event of a no-show or refusal to travel after confirmation and slotting, your name will be moved to the back of the queue.” 

“The Embassy has been working round the clock to facilitate all our citizens in Israel who wish to leave. We have reached out to students, caregivers, and business people. Some of them are actually working with us as volunteers. We urge everyone to remain calm,” Ambassador Sanjeev Singla told news agency PTI.

“The Embassy has emailed the next lot of registered Indian citizens for two special flights today. Messages to other registered people will follow for subsequent flights,” the Indian Embassy in Israel posted the announcement on X.

The passengers are chosen on a “first come first serve” basis after a drive launched by the Indian embassy for all Indians to register at the mission’s database. The government is bearing the cost of their return.

The first charter flight from Israel carried 212 people on Thursday. The second batch of 235 Indian nationals were flown back late on Friday. So far, a total of 644 Indian nationals have been flown out of Israel.

There are about 18,000 Indian nationals living and working in Israel including caregivers, students, several IT professionals, and diamond traders.

The voluntary departure of Indian nationals was necessitated after armed Hamas militants based in the Gaza Strip launched an unprecedented attack on Israel by land, air, and sea on October 7.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

The second batch of 235 Indian nationals, including two infants, wishing to leave Israel were safely evacuated on Friday, a day after 212 Indians were flown out amid the country’s raging conflict with the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

India launched ‘Operation Ajay’ on Thursday to facilitate the return of those who wish to return home following the brazen attacks on Israeli towns by Hamas militants from Gaza on October 7, triggering fresh tension in the volatile region.

The second batch of 235 Indian nationals were safely evacuated on Friday, informed sources told PTI.

The flight took off at 11.02 pm local time.

The evacuation of Indian nationals will continue tomorrow as well, they said.

“The Embassy has emailed the next lot of registered Indian citizens for the special flight today. Messages to other registered people will follow for subsequent flights,” the Indian Embassy posted the announcement on X.

A researcher at Bar-Ilan University, Safed has thanked the Indian government for ‘Operation Ajay’.

“I really want to thank the Government of India for evacuating us from the war situation in Israel… Our government has evacuated us from such a situation under ‘Operation Ajay’,” Suryakant Tiwari, PhD student at Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed told PTI.

#OperationAjay

Flight #2 carrying 235 Indian nationals takes off from Tel Aviv. pic.twitter.com/avrMHAJrT4

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) October 13, 2023

The first charter flight to facilitate the return of Indian citizens from Israel left late Thursday evening from the Ben Gurion airport carrying 211 adults and an infant living in the war-battered region and reached the Indian capital on Friday morning.

The passengers were chosen on a “first come first serve” basis after a drive launched by the Indian embassy for all Indians to register at the mission’s database. The government is bearing the cost of their return.

There are about 18,000 Indian nationals living and working in Israel including caregivers, students, several IT professionals, and diamond traders.

The evacuation of Indian nationals was necessitated after armed Hamas militants based in the Gaza Strip blasted through the Israeli security fence and streamed into Israel by land, air and sea on Saturday, in what is now described as an unprecedented attack.

Since then, the attack has killed more than 1,300 people in Israel while the Israeli counter-airstrikes have killed more than 1,530 people in Gaza. Israel has claimed roughly 1,500 Hamas militants were killed inside Israel.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Indian nationals queue up to board the second special flight for India under Operation Ajay, at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv, Friday, Oct. 13, 2023. Under Operation Ajay India is bringing back its citizens stranded in Israel amid ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
| Photo Credit: PTI

The second batch of 235 Indian nationals, including two infants, wishing to leave Israel were safely evacuated on Friday, a day after 212 Indians were flown out amid the country’s raging conflict with the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

India launched ‘Operation Ajay’ on Thursday to facilitate the return of those who wish to return home following the brazen attacks on Israeli towns by Hamas militants from Gaza on October 7, triggering fresh tension in the volatile region.

The second batch of 235 Indian nationals, including two infants, were safely evacuated on Friday, informed sources told PTI.

The flight took off at 11.02 pm local time.

The evacuation of Indian nationals will continue tomorrow as well, they said.

“The Embassy has emailed the next lot of registered Indian citizens for the special flight today. Messages to other registered people will follow for subsequent flights,” the Indian Embassy posted the announcement on X.

A researcher at Bar-Ilan University, Safed has thanked the Indian government for ‘Operation Ajay’.

“I really want to thank the Government of India for evacuating us from the war situation in Israel… Our government has evacuated us from such a situation under ‘Operation Ajay’,” Suryakant Tiwari, PhD student at Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed told PTI.

The first charter flight to facilitate the return of Indian citizens from Israel left late Thursday evening from the Ben Gurion airport carrying 211 adults and an infant living in the war-battered region and reached the Indian capital on Friday morning.

The passengers were chosen on a “first come first serve” basis after a drive launched by the Indian embassy for all Indians to register at the mission’s database. The government is bearing the cost of their return.

There are about 18,000 Indian nationals living and working in Israel including caregivers, students, several IT professionals, and diamond traders.

The evacuation of Indian nationals was necessitated after armed Hamas militants based in the Gaza Strip blasted through the Israeli security fence and streamed into Israel by land, air and sea on Saturday, in what is now described as an unprecedented attack.

Since then, the attack has killed more than 1,300 people in Israel while the Israeli counter-airstrikes have killed more than 1,530 people in Gaza. Israel has claimed roughly 1,500 Hamas militants were killed inside Israel.

New Delhi:

Traumatised by what they had experienced in the last few days, the first batch of over 200 Indians were glad to be home from Israel on Friday with the sound of air raid sirens, rocket fire and screams still ringing loud in their ears.

Israel witnessed an unprecedented attack by Hamas in its southern parts on Saturday morning. The war has till now claimed over 2,800 lives on both sides.

“We woke up to sounds of air raid sirens. We stay in central Israel and I don’t know what shape this conflict will take,” said Shashwat Singh soon after landing at Delhi airport along with his wife.

The post-doctoral researcher in agriculture, who has been staying in Israel since 2019, said the sound of those sirens and the nightmarish experience of the past few days still haunt him.

The step to bring back Indians is a “praiseworthy step”, Singh said soon after the flight landed. “We hope peace will be restored and we will return to work… The Indian government got in touch with us via email. We are thankful to Prime Minister Modi and the Indian Embassy in Israel.” Another flight carrying 200 Indian passengers from Tel Aviv are expected to arrive here on Saturday, sources said.

India launched Operation Ajay to facilitate the return of those who wish to come back home as a series of brazen attacks on Israeli towns by Hamas militants over the weekend triggered fresh tension in the region.

Many students who returned home recalled the fateful night of Saturday and how they had to rush to shelters multiple times in the wake of rocket attacks by Hamas.

Suparno Ghosh, a West Bengal native and a first-year PhD student of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev at Beersheba in Israel, was also among the group of Indians who reached Delhi on the special flight.

“We could not know what happened. On Saturday, some rockets were launched. But, we were safe in shelters… the good thing is that the Israeli government has made shelters everywhere, so we were safe,” he said.

Several women students also recounted the grim situation they faced when the attacks happened. “It was a panic situation. We are not citizens there, we are just students. So, for us whenever the sirens go on, it’s a panic situation for us,” Jaipur native Mini Sharma told PTI.

Asked when she received the information about the rescue flight, she replied, “Just a day before.” “We packed our bags yesterday morning after receiving a message from the Indian Embassy. They were very helpful. We were able to get in touch with them round the clock,” Sharma said.

Deepak, another student, said, “We heard sirens on Saturday. We could also hear the sound of the attack. Israeli authorities were instructing us (to take safety measures). I am happy to return home but at the same time sad that our friends are there (in Israel).” The whole process to being us back was very smooth, the student told reporters.

Duti Banerjee, another West Bengal native who was also among the first batch of Indians evacuated from Israel, said the situation in Israel was “pretty messy and unsettled”.

“Normal life has been paused. People are scared and angry. Even when I was leaving, I heard sirens and had to go to a shelter,” she said.  Soni, another student, thanked the governments of India and Israel for “taking such good care of us”.

“I booked two flights as I was not sure when would the Indian government evacuate us. But, I am glad to be back… many Indians still in Israel,” she said.

MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Thursday said around 18,000 Indians are currently residing in Israel while about a dozen people are in the West Bank and three to four are in Gaza.

Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar welcomed the passengers at the Delhi airport as they streamed into the lounge area from the tarmac side. He greeted them with folded hands and also shook hands with many of them saying, “Welcome home”.

“I was pleased and honoured today to welcome 212 students who came back from Israel who collectively were very grateful for the smooth and efficient and highly responsive way the government of India came to their rescue.” “For me, it is a matter of pride that I got an opportunity to welcome, on behalf of our Prime Minister and the government, our students who have returned from Israel and to thank the aircrew. They were all unanimously thanking Prime Minister Modi,” the minister said.

Operation Ajay is consistent with the prime minister’s motto of not leaving an Indian behind who finds himself or herself in harm’s way. The Government of India will work very hard to make sure that every Indian who needs to come back, return to their families safely, Chandrasekhar added. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Indian students evacuated from Israel arrive at Delhi airport, in New Delhi, India, on October 13, 2023.
| Photo Credit: AP

Glad to be home and traumatised by what they had seen in the last few days, the first batch of around 200 Indians returned from Israel on October 13 with the sound of air raid sirens, rocket fire and screams ringing loud in their ears.

Israel witnessed a surprise and unprecedented attack by Hamas in its southern parts on Saturday morning. At least 700 people have been killed and more than 2,100 injured in Israel — the deadliest day for the country in at least 50 years.

“We woke up to sounds of air raid sirens. We stay in central Israel and I don’t know what shape this conflict will take,” said Shashwat Singh soon after landing at Delhi airport along with his wife.

The post-doctoral researcher in agriculture, who has been staying in Israel since 2019, said the sound of those sirens and the nightmarish experience of the past few days still haunt him.

The evacuation of Indians is a “praiseworthy step”, Mr. Singh said soon after the flight landed. “We hope peace will be restored and we will return to work… The Indian government got in touch with us via email. We are thankful to Prime Minister Modi and the Indian Embassy in Israel.” India has launched Operation Ajay to facilitate the return of those who wish to come back home as a series of brazen attacks on Israeli towns by Hamas militants over the weekend triggered fresh tension in the region.

Many students who returned home recalled the fateful night of Saturday and how they had to rush to shelters multiple times in the wake of rocket attacks by Hamas.

Suparno Ghosh, a West Bengal native and a first-year Ph.D student of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev at Beersheba in Israel, was also among the group of Indians who reached Delhi on the special flight.

“We could not know what happened. On Saturday, some rockets were launched. But, we were safe in shelters… the good thing is that the Israeli government has made shelters everywhere, so we were safe,” he said.

Several women students also recounted the grim situation they faced when the attacks happened. “It was a panic situation. We are not citizens there, we are just students. So, for us whenever the sirens go on, it’s a panic situation for us,” Jaipur native Mini Sharma told PTI.

Asked when she received the information about the rescue flight, she replied, “Just a day before.” “We packed our bags yesterday morning after receiving a message from the Indian Embassy. They were very helpful. We were able to get in touch with them round the clock,” Ms. Sharma said.

Deepak, another student, said, “We heard sirens on Saturday. We could also hear the sound of the attack. Israeli authorities were instructing us (to take safety measures). I am happy to return home but at the same time sad that our friends are there (in Israel).” “The evacuation process was very smooth,” the student told reporters.

Duti Banerjee, another West Bengal native who was also among the first batch of Indians evacuated from Israel, said the situation in Israel was “pretty messy and unsettled”.

“Normal life has been paused. People are scared and angry. Even when I was leaving, I heard sirens and had to go to a shelter,” she said. Soni, another student, thanked the government of India and Israel for “taking such good care of us”.

“I booked two flights as I was not sure when would the Indian government evacuate us. But, I am glad to be back… many Indians still in Israel,” she said.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on October 12 said around 18,000 Indians are currently residing in Israel while about a dozen people are in the West Bank and three to four are in Gaza.

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar welcomed the passengers at the Delhi airport as they streamed into the lounge area from the tarmac side. He greeted them with folded hands and also shook hands with many of them saying, “Welcome home”.

New Delhi:

All Indians wishing to leave Israel – amid the war with the Hamas – will be brought back, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar told NDTV this morning, after a chartered flight carrying over 200 students landed in Delhi. The government is committed to helping them, Mr Chandrasekhar said.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the country and the government will always stand with those Indians, anywhere in the world, who are in trouble,” the Union Minister stressed.

At 7 AM the first flight under “Operation Ajay” landed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, where they were received by Mr Chandrasekhar. This flight was arranged to facilitate the return of those unable to do so because Air India had suspended its flight on October 7, when the war began

READ | NDTV Ground Report: Israeli Armoured Vehicles Head Towards Gaza Border

Air India commercial operation have been suspended since.

“We are thankful… most students were panicked. (But then) we saw notifications through the Embassy of India, which boosted our morale… was a relief,” Shubham Kumar, a student, told PTI.

There is still a long queue of Indians, including students, at the Tel Aviv airport waiting to board special flights being operated under ‘Operation Ajay’, PTI has said. On that note, Mr Chandrasekhar told NDTV, “This operation will continue till every Indian citizen who wants to come home is brought home.”

There are over 18,000 Indians are in Israel and around 6,000 wish to return home.

READ |“Sirens Still Ringing In Ears”: Indians Back From Israel Recall War Horror

Israel has vowed an unprecedented offensive against Hamas after its gunmen stormed into its southern regions and slaughtered over 1,000 people, including civilians, and took hundreds hostage.

Tel Aviv has launched devastating aerial strikes as its first response and is widely expected to initiate ground attacks this week; over three lakh soldiers have been called up or moved to the Gaza border.

The death toll in Gaza is nearing 1,500, reports by its health ministry and the United Nations have said, with over 6,000 injured. 2.3 million people in Gaza face a humanitarian disaster after Israel ordered a “complete siege”, and are now without electricity and are running low on food, medicines and water.

READ | Israel Asks Gaza City Civilians To Evacuate, UN Calls Order “Impossible”

Israel has demanded that over a million Gazan civilians relocate in less than 24 hours or face mass casualties as its forces prep to invade Gaza City. The UN has urged Israel to reconsider this move.

New Delhi:

On landing in New Delhi after a six-hour flight, Indian students back from Israel said they cannot even describe what they went through over the past few days and that they are relieved to be home.

The chartered plane carrying 212 Indian citizens is the first to reach New Delhi after the Centre launched Operation Ajay to bring back Indians stranded in Israel amid its war with Hamas. The government will be running more flights to bring back others stranded in Israel.

More than 18,000 Indians are in Israel and over 6,000 have registered with the Indian embassy there for a flight back home.

Dyuti Banerjee from Kolkata, who is pursuing a PhD at an Israel university, said she is relieved to be back home. “It was quite scary there in the last three days. We are thankful to the Indian government for arranging a flight as soon as possible. Everything was arranged within 24 hours,” she said.

Ms Banerjee said the situation in Israel’s border areas is terrifying. “Kids have been slaughtered. This never happened. My Israeli colleagues asked me to come home,” she said.

She also said many of her friends have joined the war as part of Israel’s reserve army. “I hope my friends stay safe,” she said.

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar was at the airport to welcome the Indians back from the war zone, where over 4,000 people have died in the Hamas attack and Israel’s counterstrike.

Another student, Priyanka, said some of her friends had been in Israel for a while and knew the security protocol. “They helped us out, told us not to panic,” she said, adding that Israel’s people are “very resilient”. “They really care for you,” she added.

Prathibha, a student who returned on the flight, said, “The experience of being in a war zone can’t be described in words. The sound of sirens is still ringing in my ears.”

Union Minister Chandrasekhar said the Indian government will “never leave any Indian behind”. “Our government, our Prime Minister, is determined to protect them and bring them back home safely. We are grateful to External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, the team at the ministry, the flight crew of this Air India flight for making this possible, for bringing our children back home safely and soundly and back home to their loved ones,” he said.

After the Hamas attack sparked the war, Air India had suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv till October 14.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi yesterday said India is keeping a close watch on the situation in Israel. He added that there have been no Indian casualties so far. “There is conflict going on and it is a matter of concern. Indians are advised to follow advisories issued by our mission,” he said.