Ten Indian construction workers, held hostage in a village in Palestine&rsquo;s West Bank, have been rescued by Israeli authorities, reports say. The workers had been stranded for a month after they were stripped of their passports.
According to the Israeli media, the workers were lured to al-Zaayem village for employment but later found themselves trapped. They had initially arrived in Israel for jobs in the construction sector.
Israeli forces reportedly intercepted suspects at a checkpoint, leading to the recovery of the Indian workers. The suspects had allegedly used the Indian passports to bypass security checks and enter Israel undetected.
The rescue operation was carried out overnight by Israel&rsquo;s Population and Immigration Authority, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and the Justice Ministry. The workers have been moved to a secure location while their employment status is assessed.
The Indian Embassy in Israel confirmed that an investigation is underway and has urged Israeli authorities to ensure the workers' safety.
Over the past year, approximately 16,000 Indian workers have traveled to Israel for construction jobs, following Israel&rsquo;s ban on tens of thousands of Palestinian workers after the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023.

The rescued workers wait at a checkpoint.

Held hostage for a month after being stripped of passports, workers freed in Israeli op

10 Indian Workers Rescued from West Bank

Held hostage for a month after being stripped of passports, workers freed in Israeli op

March 7, 2025 | 10:43 IST