Air India flights to and from Tel Aviv have been suspended till October 14 amid Israel-Hamas conflict. This comes hours after India's diplomatic missions in Israel and Palestine issued advisories to Indian citizens to be vigilant and contact them in case a full-fledged war breaks out.
Air India spokesperson said, "Air India flights to and from Tel Aviv, Israel will remain suspended till 14th October, for the safety of our passengers and crew. Air India will extend all possible support to passengers who have confirmed bookings on any flight during this period."
After Hamas militants reportedly fired more than 2,000 rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israel on Saturday, killing 250 people and injured hundreds. Israel retaliated strongly with 'Operation Iron Swords', deploying its fighter jets to launch airstrikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, killing about 250 people and injuring several hundreds, reports said.
India's Tel Aviv embassy asked all Indian citizens in Israel to observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities. “Please exercise caution, avoid unnecessary movement, and stay close to safety shelters,” read the advisory, which was issued in English, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada.
It also shared emergency phone numbers and URLs for Israeli Home Front Command and Preparedness brochures.
There are about 18,000 Indian citizens in Israel besides 85,000 Jews of Indian origin who migrated to the country in the fifties and sixties.
In Palestine's Ramallah, the Representative Office of India in Palestine took to X platform, stating, “In light of the prevailing security situation, Indian nationals in Palestine can directly contact the Representative Office of India to address any case of emergency or needed assistance on the 24-hours Emergency Helpline.” The mission shared to two emergency contact numbers.
Following the attacks on Israel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated, ”Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour.”
Meanwhile, reports also said that actor Nushrratt Bharuccha who was stranded in Israel, is "safe" and on her way to India, according to her publicist. She was in Israel to attend the Haifa International Film Festival from September 28 to October 7.