Israel-Hamas war: Amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, India has evacuated at least 1,200 people stranded in the war-torn country. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, they were taken back on five flights under "Operation Ajay", including 18 Nepali nationals. Responding to a question by India TV, MEA Spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi, while addressing a weekly press briefing on Thursday, said, "A total of 1200 people special flight carrying Indian nationals and 18 Nepalese citizens reached India as part of 'Operation Ajay'." "We will fly more flights if demanded," he added.
Bagchi, however, refrained from speculating whether anyone was taken back from the Gaza and West Bank regions.
Notably, the Gaza Strip is the centre point of the conflict and has been bombarded extensively by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) ever since the militant organisation barged a series of rocket attacks on the Israeli region on October 7.
MEA clears India's position on Israel-Hamas war
When asked about India's position on the ongoing war, the MEA spokesperson reiterated recent social media posts by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, wherein he expressed shock and condemned the the killings of over 500 civilians following a brutal attack on Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza. Also, he recalled how PM Modi spoke to his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and extended his solidarity with the Israeli citizens who were killed in the attack by Hamas.
"You would have seen the comments, the tweets as well as statements from Prime Minister. We have strongly condemned the horrific terrorist attack on Israel. The international community must stand together in combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations," said Bagchi.
India advocates for a two-state solution
Further, Bagchi, said India wants a two-state solution where both Palestine and Israel have a direct conversation in order to end the conflict.
"There was also the issue of Palestine and on that, we have reiterated our position in favour of direct negotiations for establishing a two-state solution. We have also expressed our concern about the civilian casualties and the humanitarian situation. We would urge the strict observance of international humanitarian law...," he added.
Bagchi also maintained that India has been providing humanitarian aid to not only Israel but also Palestinians who have been facing similar killings and other issues since the tension between the two neighbouring nations flared up.
Answering a question, Bagchi said there has been no report of any Indian casualty and that an Indian woman, who has sustained injuries, is recovering well. A care-giver from Kerala had sustained injuries in the attacks by Hamas. The sudden escalation in hostilities between Israel and Palestine has triggered global concerns.
