Keralites among the first batch of Indian evacuees to reach the Cochin international airport at Nedumbassery from conflict-ridden Israel on October 13 afternoon painted a picture of a country where life continues to be largely peaceful despite the intense battle with Hamas.
The seven Keralites were part of the 212 Indians evacuated from Israel in the maiden flight operated under the Union government’s rescue mission ‘Operation Ajay’. They had reached Delhi from Tel Aviv in the early morning hours of October 13 before flying down to Kochi by an Air India flight.
“Life continues to be smooth in Israel with the crisis mostly restricted along the Israel-Gaza border. Neither Israel citizens nor international students have any issues right now. I would have stayed if not for the anxiety of my family. I will return as soon as peace is restored,” Nila Nanda, a postdoctoral student at a university in southern Israel, told the media at the airport. Her family was at the airport to take her back home to Palakkad.
Gopika Shibu, a resident of Kollam, shared a somewhat similar tale, attributing her return mostly to her panicky family. She, however, said that most were opting to stay put. Her classes, which was originally scheduled to begin on October 15, were further postponed to November 5 by which time she hoped the issue would be resolved and she would be able to return.
“On the first day (when the conflict broke out), sirens blared twice following which we moved into a shelter. But there was not much of a damage thereafter thanks to the Iron Dome (Israel’s air missile defence system). After that, it was mostly safe and the public transport also operated as usual,” said Ms. Shibu.
M.C. Achuth, a resident of Kannur, Sishira Mambaram from Malappuram, Radhikesh Ravindran Nair and his wife, both Malappuram natives, Divya Ram, a resident of Thiruvananthapuram, were the others to return. Except for Ms. Nanda and Ms. Ram who had flown to Kochi from Delhi on their own, the passage of others was facilitated by NoRKA Roots.
The Kerala government has also opened a 24-hour control room to aid Keralites evacuated from Israel at the Kerala House in New Delhi (control room number: 011 23747079). It has also opened a help desk at the New Delhi international airport.
