The MEA spokesperson said around 18,000 Indians are currently residing in Israel while about a dozen odd people are in the West Bank and three-to four are in Gaza.

New Delhi: Around 230 Indian nationals, stuck in the midst of a raging war between Israel and Palestine’s Hamas militant group, are expected to fly home to India from the Jewish nation via a charter flight on Friday.

On Wednesday, India launched Operation Ajay facilitate the return of Indians who wish to return home as a series of brazen attacks on Israeli towns by Hamas militants over the weekend triggered fresh tensions in the region.

“The first charter flight will reach Tel Aviv later tonight to pick up Indian citizens and is likely to return to India tomorrow morning,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at his weekly media briefing on Thursday.

The MEA spokesperson said around 18,000 Indians are currently residing in Israel while about a dozen odd people are in the West Bank and three-to four are in Gaza.

“The external affairs minister took a preparatory meeting earlier in the day. We are in touch with our embassy in Tel Aviv, our representative office in Ramallah as well as with our missions in the neighbouring countries, particularly Jordan, Syria and Egypt,” Bagchi said.

“We are keeping a close watch on developments as well as what steps we need to take to assist the Indian citizens who are in Israel,” he added.

Bagchi said the first charter flight is likely to bring back around 230 citizens.

Asked about reports of one Indian care-giver from Kerala sustaining injuries in the attacks by Hamas, he said: “We are aware of that case. The person is in the hospital and improving.”

Bagchi said more chartered flights will be arranged to bring back the Indians. At the same time, he said it will depend on the number of people expressing a desire to return home.

He said there was no report of any Indian casualty so far.

Military officials said the Indian Air Force has kept its transport aircraft on stand-by for any possible deployment to bring back the Indians from Israel.

The multi-pronged attacks against Israel by Hamas fighters from Gaza since Saturday and the subsequent Israeli retaliation have left around 2,600 people dead. Israel has launched a massive counter offensive in Gaza to avenge the attacks by Hamas.

The sudden escalation in hostilities between Israel and Palestine has triggered global concerns. Leading powers like Germany, the US, France and the UK emphasised the importance of preventing the situation from further escalation.

(With PTI inputs)