Israeli authorities have rescued 10 Indian construction workers from the West Bank and returned them safely to Israel, the Indian Embassy in Tel Aviv has confirmed.
In a post on X, the embassy stated, “Israeli authorities traced 10 missing Indian construction workers to West Bank & have brought them back to Israel. While the matter is still under investigation, the Embassy is in touch with the Israeli authorities & have requested to ensure their safety & well-being.”
According to The Times of Israel, the workers had been held in a village for over a month after being lured by Palestinians under the pretext of employment. Their passports were seized, and an attempt was made to use the documents to enter Israel illicitly.
Israeli authorities, including the Population and Immigration Authority, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), and the Justice Ministry, conducted an overnight rescue operation to retrieve the workers.
The men, who had arrived in Israel for construction jobs, have been taken to a secure location while their employment status is determined.
The IDF detected the fraudulent use of their passports and later returned them to the rightful owners.
Approximately 16,000 Indian labourers arrived in Israel in 2024 under a government initiative to address the shortage of construction workers.
The void emerged after Israel banned tens of thousands of Palestinian workers following the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023.
Investigations into the incident are ongoing as both Indian and Israeli authorities monitor the situation closely to ensure the safety of the rescued workers.
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