Overview

• Ten Indian construction workers, initially in Israel for jobs, were held in the West Bank village of al-Zaayem for over a month.
• The workers were lured to the village under false pretenses of employment, and their passports were confiscated by their captors.
• Israeli authorities conducted an overnight operation with the IDF and Justice Ministry to rescue the workers and return their passports.
• The Indian Embassy in Israel confirmed the rescue and stated it is working with Israeli authorities to ensure the workers' safety and well-being.
• The incident highlights the influx of Indian workers to Israel, filling construction labor shortages after Palestinian workers were barred following the October 2023 Hamas attack.