’Operation Ajay’: First flight carrying 212 Indians from Israel lands in Delhi

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Oct 13, 2023: The first charter flight, under ’Operation Ajay’, carrying 212 Indian nationals from war-torn Israel landed at the Delhi airport on Friday morning. The flight carried 211 adults and an infant.

Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekar was present at the airport and received the Indian nationals who arrived from Israel.

 

The operation came in response to multi-pronged attacks against Israel by Hamas from Gaza since Saturday and the subsequent Israeli retaliation that has left more than 2,500 people dead. Israel has launched a massive counter-offensive in Gaza to avenge the attacks by Hamas.

PASSENGERS THANK GOVERNMENT

One of the passengers who returned from Israel thanked the government for bringing the Indian nationals back home.

"This is the first time that we are facing this situation over there. We are very thankful to the Indian government, especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing us back. We are hoping for peace as soon as possible so that we can go back to work as earliest as possible," the passenger told ANI.

Another passenger, who was carrying a baby, narrated the situation in Israel and said the Indian returnees were now relaxed after returning to India.

"On the first day, we were sleeping and at around 6.30 there was a siren. We ran towards the shelter and it was very hard but we managed. We are feeling relaxed and we thank the Government of India," she told ANI.

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.

The flight, which took off at 10:14 pm (local time), was arranged to facilitate the return of those who were unable to do so because Air India had immediately suspended its flight on the day fighting began on October 7, and its commercial operation remains suspended till now.

"Operation Ajay gets underway. 212 citizens onboard the flight are en route to New Delhi," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in a post on X.

There was a long queue of Indians, including students, at the airport to board the special flight being operated under ’Operation Ajay’ from Tel Aviv.

On Wednesday, Jaishankar announced the launch of Operation Ajay to facilitate the return of those Indians who wish to come back home.

"Launching #OperationAjay to facilitate the return from Israel of our citizens who wish to return. Special charter flights and other arrangements being put in place," Jaishankar wrote. "Fully committed to the safety and well-being of our nationals abroad," he wrote on X.

The embassy has already announced a second flight for Friday and has sent out email registrations to leave on a "first come first serve basis".

Ben Gurion International Airport is the main international airport of Israel. It is situated on the northern outskirts of the city of Lod.

Courtesy: India Today