Indian passengers celebrate homecoming on board Operation Ajay flight from Israel
On October 11, the Indian government had launched ‘Operation Ajay’ to facilitate the return of Indian nationals from war-torn Israel.
The sixth flight carrying 143 citizens including two Nepalese nationals flew out of Israel under India's ‘Operation Ajay’. External affairs minister S Jaishankar took to social media platform X to share a picture of the passengers on board the aircraft.
In a video shared by news agency PTI, the passengers were seen waving the tricolour on board the aircraft. On October 17, the fifth flight carrying 286 passengers including 18 Nepalese citizens had flown out of Israel which is in the midst of a fierce war with Palestine.
On October 11, the Indian government had launched ‘Operation Ajay’ to facilitate the return of Indian nationals from war-torn Israel. The operation was necessitated after Palestinian militant group Hamas based in the Gaza Strip launched coordinated attacks on Israel in the morning of October 7.
So far, five chartered flights from Tel Aviv arrived in Delhi with nearly 1,200 passengers, including children.
More than 4,741 Palestinians killed and 15,898 wounded in Israeli strikes on Gaza since oct.7, the Palestinian health ministry was quoted by Reuters as saying.
India has sent a military aircraft laden with around 6.5 tonnes of medical aid along with 32 tonnes of disaster relief material including essential life-saving medicines, surgical items, tents, sleeping bags, tarpaulins, sanitary utilities, and water purification tablets for the Palestinians suffering amid the war between Israel and Hamas.
This comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and extended his condolences over the loss of civilian lives at al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza.
“We will continue to send humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people. Shared our deep concern at the terrorism, violence and deteriorating security situation in the region. Reiterated India’s long-standing principled position on the Israel-Palestine issue", the prime minister posted on social media platform X.
India had also extended support to Israel after the Jewish state was hit by Hamas attacks on October 7.
