Twelve Nepali people have gone out of contact in the war-torn Israel, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said.
Apprising the House of Representatives of the Israel-Palestine war and the safety of the Nepali people in the country today, Foreign Minister NP Saud said the entire apparatus has been mobilized to determine the status of the Nepali people and for their rescue.
"Out of 17 Nepalis, who went from Nepal to Israel's Sedot Negev Agriculture Training Center for internship, two are rescued safely, three sustained injuries. The remaining 12 Nepalis are out of contact. Some of them are fear killed," said Saud.
There are currently 4,500 Nepalis working as care givers in Israel. As many as 265 Nepali students, who are currently studying in Israel, are under the 'Learn and Earn' program of the Israeli government. Among them, 119 are from Agriculture University, 97 from Tribhuvan University and 49 from Sudurpaschim University, Saud said. He further said, 17 of the 49 students from Sudurpaschim University are studying at a place called Kibbutz Alumin in southern Israel.
According to the latest information received from the Nepali Embassy, this place Kibbutz lies near the Gaza Strip – the place where the Hamas group launched an unprecedented attack.
Out of 17 Nepalis who were studying there, two are safe, three sustained injuries and are being treated in a local hospital, while 12 are out of contact.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' called a meeting this morning and formed a coordination committee under the Foreign Affairs Minister's convenorship and with the representation of all the bodies concerned.
This committee will take stock of the situation and will figure out the situation of Nepalis in Israel after making the overall assessment of the incident. It has also been mandated for carrying out rescue as well, he added.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs informed the parliament that the Ministry immediately instructed the Nepali Embassy in Israel for the required rescue, facilitation and coordination, and for taking the exact information on the condition of Nepalis there soon after receiving information on the attack in south Israel.
More than 400 Palestinian militants have been killed in southern Israel and the Gaza Strip, and dozens more have been captured, according to the Times of Israel. Similarly, 300 civilians have also been killed in Israel, and dozens of Israelis have been taken hostage since Hamas launched a wave of rocket attacks and fighters stormed into Israel, in the biggest escalation in decades, on Saturday morning.
