Operation Ajay: Indians Chant 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' As They Return Home from War-hit Israel | WATCH

Amid the ongoing ghastly Israel-Palestine war, the first flight carrying 212 Indians, who were stranded in the war-torn country landed in New Delhi. Upon arrival, all the passengers were chanting ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Bharat Mata ki Jay’.

A video shared by news agency ANI showed the passengers, who took off from the Ben Gurion airport in Israel on Thursday night under ‘Operation Ajay’. chanting ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’, and ‘Vande Mataram’ slogans as they finally reached.

The returnees from Israel were greeted at the Indira Gandhi International Airport by Union Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar who also shook hands with many of them saying, “Welcome home.”

India has launched Operation Ajay to facilitate the return of those who wish to come back home as the Israel-Palestine war broke out following a series of brazen attacks on Israeli towns by Hamas militants over the weekend.

Shashwat Singh, a post-doctoral researcher, who has been living in Israel since 2019, reached Delhi along with his wife.

“We woke up to sounds of air raids’ sirens. We stay in central Israel. I don’t know what shape this conflict will take… I am doing a postdoc in agriculture there,” he told PTI.

The evacuation of Indians is a “praiseworthy step”, Singh said soon after the flight landed. “We hope peace will be restored and we will return to work… The Indian government got in touch with us via email. We are thankful to Prime Minister Modi and the Indian Embassy in Israel.”

MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Thursday said around 18,000 Indians are currently residing in Israel while about a dozen people are in the West Bank and three to four are in Gaza amid the Israel-Palestine war.

The multi-pronged attacks against Israel by Hamas militants from Gaza since Saturday and the subsequent Israeli retaliation have left around 2,600 people dead. Israel has launched a massive counter-offensive in Gaza to avenge the attacks by Hamas.