The Indian Ministry of External Affairs sets up a 24-hour control room to monitor the situation in Israel and Palestine

India has set up a 24-hour control room within the external affairs ministry to monitor the situation in Israel and Palestine and give round-the-clock assistance to the Indian citizens stuck in the region. This comes in response to the concerns about the safety and security of the Indian nationals following the Israeli military operation launched to retaliate against attacks by Hamas militants.

So far, no reports of casualties among the 18,000 Indian nationals living in Israel have come to the fore. Officials have stated that there are no plans to evacuate citizens as no requests have been received in this regard so far.

“In view of the ongoing developments in 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,” said the Ministry of External Affairs in a statement. The Indian citizens in Israel include around 900 students, caregivers for elders, diamond traders, and IT professionals.

The control room can be reached at the following phone numbers: 1800118797 (toll-free), +91-11 23012113, +91-11-23014104, +91-11-23017905, and +919968291988. You can also email them at situationroom@mea.gov.in.

In addition, the Indian embassy in Tel Aviv has established a 24-hour emergency helpline, that can be reached by the following numbers, +972-35226748 and +972-543278392, or by email at cons1.telaviv@mea.gov.in.

The representative office of India in Ramallah has also set up a 24-hour emergency helpline. The Indian citizens in need can reach them by phone or WhatsApp at +970-592916418, or email them at rep.ramallah@mea.gov.in.

There are growing concerns over the security situation following the deaths of citizens from neighboring countries, such as Nepal and Sri Lanka in the recent flair-up. At the very onset of the attacks, the Indian embassy had issued an advisory to Indian citizens in Israel, urging them to exercise caution, avoid movement, and stay close to safety shelters. The advisory stated that given the current situation in Israel, it is important for Indian nationals to remain vigilant and observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities.