A special flight, part of \’Operation Ajay,\’ took off from Israel on Tuesday, carrying Indian nationals and 18 Nepalese citizens who desired to depart amidst the Israel-Hamas conflict. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar gave an update on the operation, confirming that 286 passengers, including the 18 Nepalese citizens, were returning to India.
The Indian Embassy in Israel confirmed the continuation of Operation Ajay, with the fifth flight departing from Tel Aviv to Delhi. Nepalese Ambassador to Israel, Kanta Rizal, mentioned that some of the Nepalese citizens were facing challenging circumstances, while others chose to return home. Nepalese Deputy Chief of Mission in Israel, Arjun Dhimire, emphasized the cooperation between the Indian and Nepalese embassies in facilitating the departure of these citizens.
Operation Ajay was initiated on October 12 to assist Indian nationals who wished to return home following the attacks on Israeli towns by Hamas militants from Gaza on October 7. In the past week, four chartered flights transported a total of 906 passengers, including children, from Tel Aviv. The Israel-Hamas conflict has resulted in casualties on both sides, with 2,778 Palestinians and at least 1,400 Israelis and foreign nationals reported as killed.