New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas Thursday, conveying his condolences over the loss of civilian lives at Gaza’s Al Ahli Arab Hospital that was bombed two days ago. He also reiterated India’s long-standing “principled position” on the Israel-Palestine issue — i.e. the two-state solution.
The PM posted on social media platform X that India “will continue to send humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people”.
A day earlier, the PM had expressed in a post on X that he was “deeply shocked at the tragic loss of lives” at the Al Ahli hospital. While Israel blamed the bombing on a “misfired” rocket launched by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), Palestinian authorities held Israel responsible for the strike.
Earlier Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi too reiterated India’s position on “direct negotiations” for the establishment of a two-state solution between Palestine and Israel at a press briefing, amid criticism from sections of foreign policy experts who have suggested a shift in India’s stance on the Israel-Hamas war.
Spoke to the President of the Palestinian Authority H.E. Mahmoud Abbas. Conveyed my condolences at the loss of civilian lives at the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza. We will continue to send humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people. Shared our deep concern at the terrorism,…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 19, 2023
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Operation Ajay: 1,200 Indians evacuated from Israel
Under ‘Operation Ajay’, around 1,200 Indians have been evacuated from Israel since the conflict with Palestinian militant group Hamas broke out, the MEA announced Thursday. Of these, 18 were Nepali citizens.
“Around 1,200 Indians have returned to India from Israel over five flights. This includes 18 citizens from Nepal,” Bagchi said during the weekly briefing, adding that the Indian government is planning more flights.
Around 18,000 Indians were residing in Israel prior to the evacuation operation, according to data from the Indian embassy in Tel Aviv. Most of them are students, caregivers, diamond traders and IT professionals.
India had announced the launch of Operation Ajay last week, amid heavy fighting between Hamas and the Israel Defence Forces.
The first batch of Indian nationals — majority of whom were students — were evacuated from Israel last Thursday night via a chartered flight that departed from Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.
Dr Alok Mishra, 36, who was pursuing a post-doc at the Volcani Institute, ARO, Israel, boarded one of the first flights out of Israel. He returned to his home in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, on 10 October.
“The evacuation process was very smooth. The Indian embassy helped us every step of the way and flights were organised on a first come first serve basis. I took a cab from my building to Tel Aviv airport. Many of my friends who came on later flights said they heard sirens on the way to the airport and didn’t think they would make it. Luckily they all did,” he told ThePrint.
Umesh KP, a 25-year-old PhD student at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem who hails from Kerala, said he saw rockets and explosions, while boarding his flight. “We saw rockets in the sky and heard some loud explosions. Our flight was delayed by two hours but I am glad to have returned home safely,” he told ThePrint.
ThePrint had earlier reported that some Indians explained that not all are opting for evacuation, specifically caregivers who are working in Israel on a single-entry visa.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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