KATHMANDU, Oct 9: While Nepali students in Israel have been complaining about their safety concerns amid the ongoing war in the Middle East country, the government has assured it has been coordinating with the Government of Israel to safely rescue the Nepalis residing there.

Speaking at the House of Representatives meeting on Sunday, Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Prasad Saud said the government has formed a coordination mechanism to regularly follow up the ongoing crisis in Israel. 

“Besides, this mechanism will continuously monitor the situation, evaluate the conditions faced by Nepali citizens, make necessary decisions regarding rescue operations, and coordinate and cooperate for the same effectively,” said Saud.

While a number of countries including Romania have already repatriated their citizens from Israel overnight, the government is off the mark to rescue over a dozen Nepali citizens who have been missing in the ongoing conflict in Israel.

According to international media, the Hamas group of Palestine launched an attack in Israel early Saturday morning. The militants of the Hamas group were said to have entered southern Israel and have taken hostage large numbers of the people in Israel while killing over 100 people.

As per the government data, 4,500 Nepalis have been working as caregivers in Israel. Likewise, 265 Nepali students have been studying under the ‘Learn and Earn’ program of the Israeli government. Among them, 119 are students of Agriculture and Forestry University, 97 belong to Tribhuvan University and 49 are from Sudurpashchim University.

Of the ones who represent Sudurpashchim University, 17 students have been staying in Kibbutz Alumim. Minister Saud said 12 of them have been out of contact, while some of them are feared to have been killed.     

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Sunday says his Security Cabinet has declared the country at war following a deadly Hamas assault in southern Israel. According to Israeli media, at least 600 people have been killed in the surprise cross-border incursion by Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip.

Sushil Neupane, the head of the School of Agriculture at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of Sudurpashchim University, revealed that some students who have traveled to Israel under the Learn and Earn program have been injured, and communication with certain students has been lost.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it has issued directives to the Nepali embassy in Israel to initiate rescue operations, provide information to Nepali citizens regarding the situation, and ensure adherence to safety guidelines and regulations set by the Israeli government.

 
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