Around 12,000 Israeli tourists holidaying in India are returning to their country.
NEW DELHI
India is one of the first foreign choices for Israeli tourists. But the war that has recently broken out between Israel and Hamas has made Israeli tourists leave their holiday midway and return to their “national duty”. There are around 12,000 Israeli tourists on holiday in India who are returning to their country.
A group of backpackers leaving India told The Sunday Guardian that they have to leave as a national emergency has been declared and “the atrocities done to our citizens encourage us to join the military back home and put a full stop to the terror activities going on in Israel”. They also said that “we are a peace-loving country, but the terror caused by Hamas is unbearable for us, and we want to return to our country as soon as possible so that we can protect our citizens.” “I lost one of my cousins in the war, and my second cousin is fighting with the terrorists,” said one of them.
An ex-IDF soldier, Aon, said, “We were travelling in India and were shocked to hear about the barbaric Hamas abducting children and women and taking them to Gaza. Many Israeli youngsters have quit their travel plans and are returning to Israel to defend the country. After this war, the situation will not be the same, especially in the Gaza Strip. This war may take weeks, or maybe a month. Hamas is a terrorist organisation similar to ISIS, and it needs to be destroyed to bring peace. We are also thankful to the Indian government, Indian people, and PM Narendra Modi for standing with Israel and condemning the terror activities by Hamas.”
A backpacker who is staying in Paharganj and waiting for his chance to return to his country said, “The environment there is tense; everyone here knows someone who is dead or captured by Hamas. All of us who are away from home were stunned by this news.” He added that “my two brothers-in-law are in the military, and I plan to return and as soon as I return home I will join the Army. It is hard to comprehend how a small gang of terrorists caused so much destruction.”
The conflict in Israel has led to a significant loss of lives, with over 1,500 people killed in Gaza following a retaliatory response by Israel to a surprise land-sea-air attack by Hamas, which resulted in the death of 1,300 Israelis. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a “state of war” and expressed the determination to reduce Gaza to ruins in response to the Hamas onslaught.
India has been a popular destination for Israeli tourists. According to India tourism statistics 2022, the peak number of Israeli tourists visiting India was 73,137 in 2019. They visit generally in the October–December season. They travel to India after they complete their military service. In the army, these young men and women have to undergo intense training and abide by strict codes of discipline. To give themselves some relief from such hard training stress, they travel, and India remains their preferred choice, as “India is vast and there is so much to discover in one country. Hardly any other place in the world offers such a richness and diversity of scenic landscapes, cultures, peoples, etc. Also, they enjoy freedom in India because of its rich cultural heritage, and it’s also cheaper to travel in India. Moreover, India is relatively safe. There are usually no terrorist threats, and the people in India are welcoming too,” say experts.