New Delhi: In view of the ongoing war between Israel and Palestine, a 24-hour Control Room has been set up in the Ministry of External Affairs to monitor the situation and provide information and assistance.
The contact details of the control room are -1800118797 (Toll-free); +91-11 23012113; +91-11-23014104; +91-11-23017905; +919968291988. It has provided email — situationroom@mea.gov.in. In addition, the Embassy of India in Tel Aviv has set up a 24-hour emergency helpline, which can be accessed as per contact details -+972-35226748;+972-543278392; and on email cons1.telaviv@mea.gov.in
Further, the Representative Office of India in Ramallah has also set up a 24-hour emergency helpline, which can be accessed as per contact details-+970-592916418 (also whatsapp) rep.ramallah@mea.gov.in. Meanwhile, in a video message, the Indian Ambassador to Israel, Sanjeev Singla, assured desperate people to stay calm and follow the guidelines issued by the local authorities and contact the emergency numbers of the embassy in case of trouble.
Also, the Indian Embassy in Israel issued an advisory on Wednesday, wherein it urged Indian nationals living in the war-torn nation to register themselves with the Embassy of India, Tel Aviv and Israel.
"Registration with the Embassy will facilitate any measures that need to be taken in a situation of emergency or if such a need arises. It will also facilitate information availability about various events through our emailing network," according to the advisory released on Wednesday.
"The Embassy has been working constantly to help our fellow citizens in Israel through a 24-hour helpline. Please remain calm and vigilant and follow the security advisories," it added.
Also read: Israel-Hamas conflict likely to impact further rollout of Abraham Accords
Meanwhile, 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 October 7. On the fifth day, the Israeli military said more than 1,200 people, including 155 soldiers, have been killed in Israel while in Gaza, 950 people have been killed, including 260 children and 230 women, according to authorities there.
The embassy in Tel Aviv was quick to reach out to a caregiver from Kerala who was injured in the rocket shelling in the city of Ashdod on Saturday and has been constantly in touch with her and her family in India. The Indian community has also been looking after her well-being and visiting her at the hospital. Her condition is stable.
In separate advisories through its official handle on X, the Indian mission said, The Embassy has been working constantly to help our fellow citizens in Israel through a 24-hour helpline. Please remain calm & vigilant & follow the security advisories.
We thank our fellow Indian citizens in Israel and outside for the many messages of appreciation which you have sent us, the embassy said in its post. It also reminded Indian nationals in Israel to register with the embassy at the link: https://indembassyisrael.gov.in/whats?id=dwjwb
There are about 18,000 Indian citizens living and working/studying in Israel. A big chunk of Indians living in Israel work as caregivers but there are also about a thousand students, several IT professionals and diamond traders. (With agency inputs)
