Bhubaneswar: The traumatized Odia residents, who were among 212 passengers coming to India from war-torn Israel under ‘Operation Ajay’, shared their horrific experience soon after landing at Bhubaneswar airport on Friday.
“We were staying at Beach of Hawaii in Israel. But, the situation was not critical there. I had gone there on a dependent VISA as my husband was working there as a research scholar. I had visited just 20 days ago. We were at a safe home. The situation was totally new for us as we experienced the war for the first time. We have been directed to rush to the bunker within one minute of the blowing of siren,” a woman from Cuttack said.
The sound of sirens and the nightmarish experience of the past few days still haunt me, she added.
Another PhD scholar shared his harrowing experience in Israel. “On last Saturday, I heard the siren for the first time and immediately ran to the shelter which is only 50 metres away from my location. The shelter was well-equipped. There were some dry foods, and water facilities. We managed there for four days. The local government had deployed a police personnel or army at every bunker. That day was so scary for us. Because we were afraid of the terrorists who had already infiltrated into Israel.
As many as nine Odia people returned safely in the first phase of ‘Operation Ajay’.
Many students recalled the fateful night of Saturday and how they had to rush to shelters multiple times in the wake of rocket attacks by Hamas.
India launched Operation Ajay to facilitate the return of those who wish to come back home as a series of brazen attacks on Israeli towns by Hamas militants over the weekend triggered fresh tension in the region.
