First set of Indians to return from war-torn Israel under Operation Ajay

In the early hours of Friday, the first group of around 200 Indians, including students, flew back from Israel on a chartered airplane.

Following a spate of daring assaults by Hamas terrorists on Israeli cities over the weekend, India initiated Operation Ajay to make it easier for individuals who want to return home to do so.

As travelers poured into the lounge area from the tarmac side at the Delhi airport, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar greeted them. He said “Welcome home” and extended his hands to several of them as he shook hands.

A postdoctoral researcher named Shashwat Singh and his wife arrived in Delhi after Shashwat Singh moved to Israel in 2019.

The sounds of air raid sirens roused us awake. In the heart of Israel, we remain. I’m not sure how this dispute will play out. There, I’m pursuing a postdoc in agriculture,” he told PTI.

Singh praised the evacuation of Indians as a “praiseworthy step” shortly after the plane touched down. “We anticipate the return of calm so we can go back to work… We were contacted by the Indian government through email. Prime Minister Modi and the Indian Embassy in Israel deserve our gratitude.

According to MEA spokeswoman Arindam Bagchi, there are now roughly 18,000 Indians living in Israel, along with about a dozen in the West Bank and three to four in Gaza.

Around 2,600 Palestinians have died as a result of the many Hamas strikes on Israel from Gaza since Saturday and the Israeli response. In order to exact revenge on Hamas for their assaults, Israel has launched a huge counteroffensive in Gaza.

Suparno Ghosh, a native of West Bengal and a first-year PhD student at Israel’s Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beersheba, was one of the Indians who boarded the special aircraft to Delhi.

We lived in shelters… We were protected because the Israeli authorities built bunkers everywhere, the man said.

Student Deepak said, “On Saturday, we heard sirens. We heard the noise while the assault was taking place. We were given instructions (to take safety precautions) by Israeli officials. It was an ongoing assault. We have pals there (in Israel), so although I’m thrilled to be home, I’m also sad.

However, the student informed reporters that the evacuation procedure went quite well.

Another West Bengal native, Duti Banerjee, who was among the first group of Indians to be evacuated from Israel, described the scene as “pretty messy and unsettled.”

“Everyday life has been put on hold. Both fear and rage are prevalent. I had to go to a shelter even as I was leaving because I could hear sirens, the woman said.