India has expanded its outreach of proving help to its nationals by way of safe evacuation under Operation Sindhu, with 160 Indians having been brought back from Israel in the first batch.
Israeli airspace continues to remain closed and commercial flights suspended. However, the Indian missions in Israel and Jordan, in a joint effort, evacuated 160 Indian nationals in the first batch under Operation Sindhu on Sunday, according to an Embassy source.
The missions organised the first batch of evacuation from Israel as the Indian nationals living in Israel constantly grappled with the sounds of sirens, frequently taking cover in bunkers and fortified safe rooms from incoming missiles and drones from Iran.
"A total of 160 Indians have reached the Jordanian border for evacuation in the first batch," the embassy source said. Pertinently, India launched Operation Sindhu last week to bring back Indians from Iran and Israel, given increasing hostilities between the two nations, which has only intensified with US strikes on Iran today.
As Government of India is alert to fast changing developments arising out of the conflict, this step was necessitated in the wake of urgency of the situation. The Indian embassy in Tel Aviv last week set up a 24/7 control room to oversee all facets of the evacuation efforts. The control room directed Indian nationals to register via an online portal and compiled a detailed database of Indian citizens across Israel, it said.
"Evacuation priorities were determined based on medical emergencies, the presence of young children, women, and students. Embassy officials proactively contacted registrants by phone and email to confirm travel details and allocate them to specific evacuation flights," the source said.The situation on the ground is being closely monitored at the highest levels of the government, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi actively receiving real-time updates on the safety and security of the Indian nationals, the source said.
"This operation underscores India’s unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of its citizens abroad. Operation Sindhu is yet another testament to India’s emergence as a credible ‘first responder’ in international crises," a statement from the Indian mission said.
The Indian nationals scheduled to be evacuated in the first batch gathered at designated assembly points in Tel Aviv and Haifa early Sunday morning and were then taken by road to the Sheikh Hussein Bridge on the Israel-Jordan border, some 120 kilometres from here.
After completing immigration and border formalities at the Israel-Jordanian border, the group proceeded to Amman Airport, another 120 kilometres ride.
The Embassy of India in Jordan played a key role in receiving the evacuees at the border to further facilitate their onward journey to Amman Airport, it said.Special flights from Amman to New Delhi have been arranged by the Ministry of External Affairs to safely fly Indian nationals home.Some flights are also planned to leave from Egypt in the coming days, as there are many Indians living in the south of Israel.
The Indian mission in Israel once again reached out to its citizens on Sunday to register for ongoing updates and assistance, and provided a 24/7 helpline number.There are over 40,000 Indian nationals in Israel working as caregivers, construction workers, students, professionals and others
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