First flight carrying 212 Indian nationals from war-battered Israel lands in Delhi

The first charter flight carrying 212 Indian nationals from war-battered Israel landed at Delhi airport on Friday under government's 'Operation Ajay' initiative.Union Minister Rajiv Chandrashekhar welcomed the Indian nationals evacuated from the war-battered region and was seen interacting with them.Speaking to ANI news agency at the airport, Chandrashekhar said, "...Our government will never leave any Indian behind. Our government, our Prime Minister is determined to protect them, bring them back home safely. We are grateful to EAM Dr S Jaishankar, the team at the External Affairs Ministry, the flight crew of this Air India flight for making this possible, for bringing our children back home safely and soundly and back home to their loved ones...."Indian nationals evacuated from the war zone thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his team, especially the Embassy in Tel Aviv, for doing a tremendous job."The situation was very bad over there... EAM Dr S Jaishankar and his team, especially the Embassy in Tel Aviv did a tremendous job. And we're really very grateful to the Government in India," said an Indian national who returned from Israel."This is the first time that we are facing this situation over there. We are very thankful to the Indian government, especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing us back. We are hoping for peace as soon as possible so that we can go back to work as earliest as possible...," said another Indian national after reaching back home safe.The passengers were chosen on a "first come first serve" basis after a drive launched by the Indian embassy for all Indians to register at the mission's database. The government is bearing the cost of their return.The flight, which took off at 22:14 local time, was arranged to facilitate the return of those who were unable to do so because Air India had immediately suspended its flight on the day fighting began on 7 October, and its commercial operation remains suspended till now."Operation Ajay gets underway. 212 citizens onboard the flight are enroute New Delhi," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in a post on X earlier.There was a long queue of Indians, including students, at the airport to board the special flight being operated under 'Operation Ajay' from Tel Aviv.Israel has vowed an unprecedented offensive against the Islamic militant group Hamas ruling Gaza after its fighters broke through the border fence and stormed into the country's south through air, land and sea on 7 October.On the sixth day, the Israeli military said more than 1,300 people, including 222 soldiers, were killed in Israel, a staggering toll unseen since the 1973 war with Egypt and Syria that lasted weeks. In Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, at least 1,417 people, including women and children, have been killed, according to authorities there.With inputs from agencies