India is gearing up to protect its citizens amidst the continuing conflict between Israel and Hamas. The nation of Is launching a new initiative,Operation Ajay, aimed at assisting its citizens in evacuating from Israel.

Dr. announced the mission on Wednesday. S.The Indian Minister of External Affairs, Jaishankar, communicated his thoughts via his official Twitter handle.

When the tension escalated between the two regions, the Indian External Affairs Minister advised Indians residing in Israel to be cautious. In order to provide aid, the Ministry of External Affairsestablished a helpline accessible to Indian citizens located in Israel. India initiated Operation Ajay on the fifth day of the dispute.

The Israeli government has pledged its full support and collaboration with the Indian Embassy in Operation Ajay.

Kobbi Shoshani, Israeli Consul General in Mumbai, expressed deep affection for the approximately 18,000 Indian citizens residing in Israel, including a cherished group of 1,000 students. The Indian business community, for whom we hold deep admiration and value greatly, make significant contributions to our economy.

Several details regarding Operation Ajay

• India has established round-the-clock control centers in New Delhi, Tel Aviv, and Ramallah.
• The toll-free hotline for the control room in Delhi is 1800118797, while alternative contact numbers include 91-11 23012113, 91-11-23014104, 91-11-23017905, and 919968291988. Additionally, the control room can be reached via email at situationroom@mea.gov.in.
• The Union Minister asserts that the nation is fully prepared for any unexpected circumstances.
• Israel employs a considerable amount of Indian traders, IT experts, domestic helpers, and caretakers.
• Operation Ajay represents a strategic plan focused on repatriating Indian citizens from Israel, rather than being an evacuation mission.
• Indians will be repatriated through the use of dedicated chartered flights. If necessary, Indian Navy vessels will be sent out for deployment.
• The operation aims to assist Indians in Israel who want to return. Israel is home to approximately 18,000 Indians, consisting of students, professionals, and traders.

On Thursday, a special charter flight will transport the initial group of Indians from Israel for evacuation.

The inaugural flight of Indians evacuated from abroad is scheduled to arrive in India on Friday.

During the regular press briefing on Thursday, the spokesperson of India's Ministry of External Affairs, Arindam Bagchi, announced that the initial chartered flight carrying evacuated Indian nationals was scheduled to arrive in Tel Aviv on Thursday evening and depart for India on Friday morning.

Israel is home to approximately 18,000 Indian nationals. A fraction of them consists of Indian students.

Only a few Indian citizens were present in the Palestinian territories of West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem.

The spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) urged Indian citizens residing inIsrael and Palestine  to make sure they are registered with the Indian missions in Tel Aviv and Ramallah, respectively.

Bagchi mentioned that additional charter flights catering to the demands of Indian citizens will be introduced in the near future.

Intelligently, he mentioned that the MEA was communicating withIndian missions  situated in Tel Aviv, Ramallah (West Bank), Jordan, Egypt, and Syria with the aim of aiding and expediting the rescue missions.

Approximately 8,000 citizens of India residing in Israel have completed the registration process with the embassy.

Indian government sources have reported that approximately 8,000 Indian nationals in Israel have formally registered with the embassy in Tel Aviv. However, it is not anticipated that all of them will be returning home on the upcoming flight.

According to sources, the majority of Indian students are not anticipated to return by air.
Indian authorities emphasized that their main focus was on evacuating Indian citizens residing in theGaza Strip and other areas in southern Israel impacted by the conflict.

The Embassy in Tel Aviv is establishing the specific criteria for determining who should prioritize their return.

Additionally, reports indicate that approximately 200 Indian individuals are expected to be on board each flight from Israel back to India.

The Indian Embassy in Israel has initiated 24/7 helplines to assist individuals stuck in crisis due to the ongoing conflict. The embassy has kindly urged individuals to maintain composure and adhere to the security advisories being periodically released.

The Embassy has made continuous efforts to assist our compatriots in Israel by providing a round-the-clock hotline. Please stay composed and alert while adhering to the provided security advisories.

Hamas' unexpected assault on Israel, coupled with the subsequent brutal response, has resulted in the loss of approximately 4,000 lives.

Air India temporarily ceased operations between Tel Aviv and other destinations until October 14 following the attacks.

As the conflict between Israel and Hamas reached its fifth day on Wednesday, it is fortunate that no Indian lives have been lost thus far. The Israeli Air Force (IAF) persisted with its retaliatory airstrikes  in response to the loss of more than 1,000 Israeli lives. On Wednesday, Israel persisted in demolishing residential areas in the densely populated coastal region.

Nevertheless, Tel Aviv might find cause for concern as Lebanese drones may have successfully breached Israeli airspace on Wednesday. There is speculation that Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group, may potentially join the war in order to open a second front in the northern region.

Indians consistently strive to go above and beyond in their efforts to protect innocent individuals who have done nothing wrong, particularly during the assaults by Israel.

It is imperative at this moment to swiftly relocate the youth and individuals with relatives in a secure location through the implementation of #OperationAjay.

You can also read: Airstrikes in Lebanon and Gaza