Israel rescues 10 Indian workers held hostage in West Bank

Ten Indian construction workers, who had been held hostage in a village in Palestine's West Bank for a month, have been rescued by Israeli forces. The workers were reportedly stripped of their passports before being freed.

The workers were originally brought to Israel for construction jobs but were lured to the West Bank village of al-Zaayem under false pretenses, according to PTI news agency. The passports of workers were allegedly used by Palestinians to cross Israeli checkpoints undetected.

Their rescue was carried out in an overnight operation involving the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the Population and Immigration Authority, and the Justice Ministry. The workers were moved to a secure location, where they will remain until their employment status is clarified.

The Indian Embassy in Israel recently confirmed that the case is under investigation and has urged Israeli authorities to ensure the workers’ safety.

Over the past year, approximately 16,000 Indian laborers have arrived in Israel to work in construction, following Israel’s decision to bar tens of thousands of Palestinian workers after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.