Nepal is commencing the initial phase of evacuating its citizens from Israel, as announced by the Foreign Ministry. The operation is set to bring back a total of 250 Nepali nationals from Israel, with the repatriation of the remains of 10 Nepali students who tragically lost their lives planned for a later stage.

Sewa Lamsal, the Spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, disclosed this information during a press briefing. According to the announcement, Nepal Airlines is scheduled to depart for Tel Aviv late to facilitate the evacuation. However, it was noted that only 250 out of the 288 individuals who had registered for the return journey to Nepal will be accommodated during this initial phase.

The evacuation effort is a crucial response to the needs of Nepali citizens in Israel, many of whom have been seeking to return to their homeland. The decision to repatriate the bodies of the 10 Nepali students underscores the government's commitment to assisting those affected by this tragic incident. Nepal Airlines' mission to Israel signifies a major step in this endeavour.

Sewa Lamsal, Spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nepal said in a press briefing, “Till afternoon 350 Nepali in Israel have registered online for support. Out of them, 288 have wished to fly back to Nepal. For those wanting to return to Nepal, a 250-seated Nepal Airlines aircraft is flying to Tel Aviv (Israel) from Kathmandu (Nepal). As limited commercial flights are operating to and out of Israel, those wanting to return to Nepal via commercial flights, the Nepal Embassy in Israel would facilitate them.”

Additionally, the Spokesperson emphasized that the repatriation of the bodies of the Nepali students is contingent on the completion of necessary protocols, a process that will inevitably require some time. This step reflects the government's commitment to ensuring that all appropriate procedures and arrangements are diligently adhered to before the remains of the students can be transported from Israel to Nepal.

“The mortal remains won’t be flown back to Nepal this time, there are some other protocols to follow. Once the Israeli government hands over those bodies then only it would be brought back. As Israel is in a state of war, postmortem protocols need to be followed, we have requested them but we are not in the condition to pressure them,” spokesperson Lamsal said.

Nepal Airlines is preparing for the departure of an Airbus 330 aircraft from Tribhuvan International Airport on Thursday, with 274 passengers on board, including Foreign Minister NP Saud. The government has made the decision to send the Foreign Minister to repatriate Nepali citizens who wish to return home, with a particular emphasis on prioritizing students during the evacuation.

The conflict between Israel and Palestine, now in its fifth day, has raised concerns about the whereabouts of a Nepali student. The Foreign Ministry is actively engaged in a search operation to locate this individual, using all available resources. In the midst of the ongoing violence, two Nepali students injured in an attack by Hamas have been discharged from the hospital, while two others remain under medical supervision.

This action by the Nepal government follows the tragic news of the death of 10 Nepali students near the Gaza border in Israel. They were in Israel as part of a 10-month internship program in the agricultural sector.

Turning to the situation in Gaza, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus, reported that 1,200 Israelis have lost their lives, and more than 2,700 have been injured in the ongoing conflict with Hamas. The majority of the casualties are civilians. The IDF has deployed approximately 300,000 soldiers to the Gaza border with the aim of dismantling Hamas's military capabilities by the end of their counter-offensive.

Image source: ANI