Israel has warned its citizens in India to be on “heightened alert in public places” after an explosion near its embassy in New Delhi on Tuesday evening. A group vowing “revenge” for Israel’s actions in Gaza is reportedly behind the incident.
A travel advisory issued by Israel’s National Security Headquarters (NSH) on Tuesday cautioned citizens to steer clear of crowded areas such as malls and markets, for fear of a “recurrence of the events.”
It also recommended that Israeli citizens avoid openly displaying national symbols and sharing their travel itineraries on social media. The explosion occurred near the Israeli mission in the Indian capital.
The blast was reported by an unidentified caller to the Delhi Fire Service at around 6 pm, according to Indian media. Ohad Nakash Kaynar, the deputy chief of the mission, confirmed that no one was hurt in the incident. “Our security teams are working in full cooperation with the local Delhi security and they will investigate the matter further,” Kaynar said in a video statement.
#WATCH | Deputy Ambassador of Israel to India, Ohad Nakash Kaynar says, “This is evening several minutes after 5, an explosion occurred in close proximity of the Embassy. All our diplomats and workers are safe. Our security teams are working in full cooperation with local Delhi… pic.twitter.com/jqQSTJMgKQ
— ANI (@ANI) December 26, 2023
A special Delhi police team is investigating the scene of the blast, believed to be an empty plot of land behind the Israeli Embassy in the Chanakyapuri neighborhood. India Today reported that two suspects were spotted in CCTV footage near the blast site and that police are analyzing footage from other cameras to trace their whereabouts.
Citing sources, the report said a letter addressed to the Israeli ambassador was found near the scene, vowing “revenge” for Israel’s actions in Gaza. A group identifying itself as ‘Sir Allah Resistance’ claimed responsibility for the blast, the report added.
An explosion also occurred near the Israeli Embassy on January 29, 2021, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of India and Israel establishing full diplomatic relations. According to media reports, a letter addressed to the Israeli ambassador was also recovered near the blast site. Israel alleged the attack had been carried out by “terrorist” elements.
In another attack on February 13, 2012, an Israeli diplomat’s wife was wounded when a bomb was planted under her car in New Delhi. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran of being behind the incident, although Tehran denied the allegations.
The latest alleged attack comes against the backdrop of Israel’s ongoing siege of Gaza, in retaliation for the unprecedented assault by Palestinian militant group Hamas on October 7 that killed hundreds of Israelis. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, controlled by Hamas, 21,000 people have died and nearly 55,000 have been wounded after Israel launched its offensive in the enclave.
New Delhi has stressed the need for “diplomacy” while reiterating its support for a two-state solution to resolve the decades-old Israel-Palestine conflict. Although Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first world leaders to condemn the Hamas attacks, which he branded “terrorism,” he later expressed “shock” when an explosion killed hundreds in Gaza’s Al Ahli hospital.
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The Israeli Embassy in New Delhi has urged India to officially designate Hamas as a “terrorist” organization. According to Israeli envoy Naor Gilon, officials are in dialogue with their New Delhi counterparts on the issue. The US, UK, Israel, Australia, Japan, and the European Union are among the countries and blocs that have officially designated Hamas as a terrorist group.
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