Indian Mission In Palestine Issues Advisory, Asks Citizens To Contact Office In Case Of 'Emergency'

The Representative Office of India in Palestine issued an advisory asking Indian nationals to "directly contact the Office" in case of emergency.

Amid the ongoing tensions between Israel and Gaza, the Indian mission in Palestine has asked the citizens to contact the Representative's office in case of any emergency which will provide assistance as needed 24/7. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the Representative Of India's office in Ramallah said: "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: 

Jawwal: 0592-916418
WhatsApp:+970-59291641."

Earlier, the Indian embassy in Tel Aviv on Saturday issued advisories asking Indian nationals to "remain vigilant" as a full-fledged war broke out between the ruling Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip and Israel killing nearly 498 people from both sides.

The escalation reached the present stage after the Hamas militant group fired over 5,000 rockers from the Gaza Strip into Israel, according to the Israeli military. The terror group said it captured several Israeli soldiers near the border. Over 300 people were killed more than 1,500 were injured in the attack so far. According to PTI, in the Gaza Strip side, there were 198 dead in Israel's counterattack, media reports said.

"In view of the current situation in Israel, all Indian nationals in Israel are requested to remain vigilant and observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities. Please exercise caution, avoid unnecessary movement, and stay close to safety shelters," the Embassy said in its advisory.

The advisory was issued in English, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada languages. There are about 18,000 Indian citizens in Israel, primarily caregivers employed by Israeli elders, diamond traders, IT professionals and students, according to the details on the website of the Indian Embassy here, quoted PTI.

Approximately 85,000 Jews of Indian origin are in Israel who were part of the main waves of immigration into Israel from India in the fifties and sixties, the agency said.

"Today was a very difficult day, we have never seen a situation (like this). Within 20 minutes, 5,000 rockets were fired, and they (Hamas militants) killed 22 people while 500 were injured. This is a very difficult situation for the country," Soma Ravi, an Indian national working in Israel for 18 years, told PTI.

PTI quoted Vikas Sharma, an Indian student at the Hebrew University a,s saying: "There’s a tense situation in Israel because of the attack, but all the Indian students are safe. Most of the students are staying in dorms and accommodations provided by the college. We are in contact with each other as well as the Indian embassy through WhatsApp."