Amid the escalating tensions in Israel, there have been no adverse incidents involving Indians residing and working there thus far. The Indian embassy in Tel Aviv has received requests from its citizens, including tourists, who find themselves stranded in the country, seeking assistance for their safe departure.
Amid the ongoing Hamas-Israel strife, an Indian caregiver named Sheeja Anand, a 40-year-old woman from Payyaviir in Kerala's Kannur, found herself caught in the crossfire in Ashkelon. Sheeja, who had been working as a caregiver for an elderly patient, suffered injuries when a rocket struck the house where she was providing care on Saturday afternoon.
260 bodies recovered
Meanwhile, the Israeli rescue organization, Zaka, reported that its paramedics have recovered approximately 260 bodies from an all-night nature music festival near the Gaza Strip. This event, attended by thousands, came under attack by Hamas militants based in Palestine on Saturday. It is anticipated that the final casualty count may rise, as additional paramedic teams were actively engaged in the area.
18,000 Indians are living and working in Israel
Approximately 18,000 Indian nationals are living and working in Israel, and there have been no reported untoward incidents involving them, according to reliable sources.
The Indian embassy has received requests for assistance from Indian tourists who are stranded in the country, with many of them traveling in groups. Additionally, some businessmen visiting Israel have been caught up in the escalating situation and are seeking evacuation.
Indian embassy issues advisory
Both the Indian mission in Tel Aviv and the Representative Office of India in Palestine have issued advisories urging Indian nationals on both sides to "remain vigilant" and to "directly contact the office" in the event of an emergency. The embassy sources have assured that they are available around the clock to assist Indian nationals and have been actively guiding them.
The Indian embassy issued an advisory in light of the current situation in Israel, urging all Indian nationals to remain vigilant, follow safety guidelines recommended by local authorities, exercise caution, avoid unnecessary travel, and stay close to safety shelters.
The advisory provided relevant emergency contact numbers and URLs for Israeli Home Front Command and Preparedness brochures. It was issued in multiple languages, including English, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada.
We should not spread panic unnecessarily: Students
A significant portion of Indians in Israel work as caregivers, but there are also around a thousand students, several IT professionals, and diamond traders among them.
A doctoral student at Hebrew University stated that she followed the provided instructions diligently on Saturday and felt safe. Indian students are staying in touch with each other and continuously monitoring the situation.
Other students also expressed optimism that the situation is coming under control and emphasized the importance of not spreading unnecessary panic.
Ajit Sinha, a postdoctoral fellow at the Givat Ram campus of Hebrew University, noted that while there is tension due to the attacks, all Indian students are safe and in contact with each other and the Indian embassy through WhatsApp.
Caregivers in Israel are inclined to follow the instructions of the Indian mission, and remain where they are to focus on their safety.
Some Indians, residing in Ashkelon, an area heavily affected by rocket attacks, emphasized the need to be alert and reach shelter quickly when sirens sound.
A caregiver, Vijay, acknowledged the worrisome situation but reassured that they are all okay and maintaining regular contact with the embassy.
'Situation is scary due to the lack of internet and electricity'
Some Indians living in Gaza described the situation as "scary" due to the lack of internet and electricity but confirmed that her family was safe. Many people in the affected areas slept close to shelter houses in their buildings and followed the instructions from security forces.
In contrast, Jerusalem remained calm, with no reported attacks or adverse incidents on Sunday. Security forces patrolled the streets to ensure safety.
Israel faced an unexpected and unprecedented multifront attack, including air, land, and sea elements, by the Hamas militant group in its southern regions on Saturday. Israel continued its attacks on Gaza on Sunday, with some infiltrators engaging in firefights with Israeli soldiers in southern Israel.
While there was a minor escalation on Israel's northern border with Lebanon during the morning hours, the situation appeared to have calmed down subsequently.
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