India Launches Special Flights to Evacuate Nationals from Israel

By Shakir Husain

NEW DELHI, Oct 12 (Bernama) -- India is launching special flights to evacuate thousands of its nationals from Israel as indiscriminate Israeli bombing of Gaza risks creating a wider regional conflict.

"Special charter flights and other arrangements being put in place. Fully committed to the safety and well-being of our nationals abroad," Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said in a social media post on Wednesday night.

The Indian embassy in Tel Aviv said it has informed the first batch of Indians to take the special flight on Thursday.

"Messages to other registered people will follow for subsequent flights," it said.

There are about 18,000 Indian nationals living in Israel, according to Indian government figures.

Most of them work as caregivers but a significant number includes students, diamond traders and professionals.

Air India and a number of other airlines have cancelled flights to Tel Aviv following last week's clashes between Palestinian fighters and Israeli forces leaving foreigners trapped in the country.

Israel has been carrying out bombing in Gaza Strip apart from denying people in Gaza water, electricity and food supplies.

Israeli forces have killed more than 1,100 Palestinians, including whole families and hundreds of children buried under destroyed buildings, and injured 5,300 people.

-- BERNAMA