New Delhi: With concerns rising that the conflict in West Asia could widen as Israel ramps up its counter-attacks in Gaza, India set up a round-the-clock control room in the country and helplines at its missions in Israel and Palestine and announced special charter flights, amid growing calls for arranging transportation out of the war-torn region.

Five days after Hamas launched a surprise onslaught from the Gaza Strip, the toll has kept on rising and stands at 2,255 dead on both sides of the border. Israel has put the death toll at 1,200 citizens while Gaza authorities have said that at least 1,055 people have been killed since Saturday. Around 150 Israelis are believed to be held hostage by Hamas in Gaza.

Late on Wednesday night, external affairs minister S. Jaishankar tweeted that the government was planning special charter flights to facilitate the return “from Israel of our citizens who wish to return”.

Launching #OperationAjay to facilitate the return from Israel of our citizens who wish to return.

Special charter flights and other arrangements being put in place.

Fully committed to the safety and well-being of our nationals abroad.

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) October 11, 2023

The first flight with registered Indian citizens will take off tomorrow, the Indian embassy in Israel said.

The Embassy has emailed the first lot of registered Indian citizens for the special flight tomorrow. Messages to other registered people will follow for subsequent flights.@MEAIndia https://t.co/Qz4ieVd5l4

— India in Israel (@indemtel) October 11, 2023

Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs announced that a 24/7 control room had been set up at the headquarters in Delhi “to monitor the situation and provide information and assistance”.

Besides, dedicated phone lines have been set up at the Indian embassy in Tel Aviv and the office of the Representative of India at Ramallah, West Bank. 

In view of the ongoing developments in Israel and Palestine, a 24-hour Control Room has been set up at @MEAIndia to monitor the situation and provide information and assistance.

In addition, 24-hour emergency helplines have been set up at @indemtel & @ROIRamallah.

Press… pic.twitter.com/FpZqflngOh

— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) October 11, 2023

Meanwhile, an Indian national living in Gaza has asked for help in evacuation with her family, amidst bombardments from Israel.

“We are facing a brutal war here and everything is being destroyed in bombarded in a matter of seconds. We are paying the price of this conflict as civilians are being targeted,” Lubna Nazir Shaboo, an Indian citizen told Indian news agency PTI’s Jerusalem correspondent.

Shaboo is living with her husband and youngest daughter in Gaza, while her two older children live in Egypt.

She described the situation in Gaza as harrowing with no water and electricity supply. Israel’s defence minister Yoav Gallant had ordered a “complete siege” of Israel, which included no supply of electricity, food or fuel. A day earlier, Egypt had earlier the only border crossing with Gaza. The rest of Gaza’s opening is on Israel and through the open sea.

“We are not able to go anywhere because there is no safe place for us anywhere and the Gaza Strip is too small and it is closed from every side. There are no exit points over here,” Lubna said. 

“I have already asked for help from the Representative office of India in Ramallah to help me get to a safer place along with my husband and my daughter,” she said in a video message sent to PTI.

The Representative Office of India in Ramallah said they “are in touch and are trying to help all Indians but the situation on the ground constrains our options.”

Meanwhile, the Indian embassy in Israel posted photos of meetings with Indian students and caregivers based in the country. 

The Indian ambassador Sanjiv Singla issued a video message assuring help, but beneath that, there were tweets from Indian citizens asking for urgent evacuation from Israel.

The tweet of Air India cancelling flights from Tel Aviv also had replies from Indians asking for arranging special flights to allow them to return as early as possible.

Earlier, India had arranged for Indian tourists and pilgrims who wanted to leave Israel to get out by road through Egypt.

The Indian position on the terror attack and the retaliation has, so far, been articulated only by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi through a tweet on Saturday and a phone conversation with Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday.

He had condemned the “terrorist attack”, but did not name Hamas. At the same, Modi also conveyed “solidarity with Israel” at this “difficult hour”. Unlike most other countries like China, Japan or Israel’s close Arab partners like Egypt and the UAE, India did not call for restraint, despite this being a standard phrase for most Indian statements during conflicts.