Some of the 200 Indians who returned to India under Operation Ajay amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas shared horrifying stories. People who returned from Israel told that they are happy to return to India, but the sounds of air strike warning sirens, rocket attacks and screams are still echoing in their ears.
Shashwat Singh, who has been living in Israel with his wife since 2019, said after reaching Delhi airport, “We woke up hearing the sound of the siren informing about the air strike. We lived in central Israel. I don’t know what form this struggle will take.
Singh, who is doing research in the agriculture sector, further said that the sound of sirens is still scaring him for the last few days. As soon as our flight landed in Delhi, hope arose that peace would soon be restored. After this we will be able to go to work again. The Government of India was in touch with us through email. In such a situation we are Prime Minister Narenda Modi and thanks the Indian Embassy in Israel.
Many students who returned to India said that when Hamas attacked on Saturday (7 October), Israel also retaliated. There were continuous attacks due to war. Due to this fear we had to go to temporary camps again and again.
Suparno Ghosh, a resident of West Bengal and doing PhD at ‘Ben-Gurion University of the Negev’ in Beersheba, Israel, said that Israel had built shelters everywhere, hence we remained safe.
Mini Sharma, a resident of Jaipur, while talking to news agency PTI, said, those were very scary days. We were there not as citizens but only as students. In such a situation, whenever the siren would sound, the situation would become more scary for us.
Another student Deepak said that he is happy to return to the country but is sad that many of his friends are still stranded. Dutti Banerjee, another student from West Bengal, said that the situation in Israel is very bad. Normal life has come to a halt. Even when I was coming to India, the sound of sirens was coming.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Thursday that there are about 18 thousand Indians in Israel. While 12 are present in Gaza, three to four are present in the West Bank.
Union Minister Rajib Chandrashekhar was present to welcome the Indians who returned to India under Operation Ajay when they arrived at Delhi Airport.
There were continuous attacks due to war. Due to this fear we had to go to temporary camps again and again.
Suparno Ghosh, a resident of West Bengal and doing PhD at ‘Ben-Gurion University of the Negev’ in Beersheba, Israel, said that Israel had built shelters everywhere, hence we remained safe.
Mini Sharma, a resident of Jaipur, while talking to news agency PTI, said, those were very scary days. We were there not as citizens but only as students. In such a situation, whenever the siren would sound, the situation would become more scary for us.
Another student Deepak said that he is happy to return to the country but is sad that many of his friends are still stranded. Dutti Banerjee, another student from West Bengal, said that the situation in Israel is very bad. Normal life has come to a halt. Even when I was coming to India, the sound of sirens was coming.
How many Indians are present?
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on Thursday that there are about 18 thousand Indians in Israel. While 12 are present in Gaza, three to four are present in the West Bank. Union Minister Rajiv Chandrashekhar was present to welcome the Indians who returned to India under Operation Ajay when they arrived at Delhi Airport.
