Bollywood actress Nushrratt Bharuccha, who was rescued from Israel and brought back to India on Sunday through connecting flights, has shared a compelling video recounting the harrowing experience of how she managed to escape war-torn Israel.
In the now-viral video, the 38-year-old actress said that two days ago, she woke up to the sounds of bomb blasts and sirens in her hotel room in Tel Aviv.
She, along with several other people residing in the hotel in Tel Aviv, rushed down into a ‘shelter’ in the basement.
"A rollercoaster ride of emotions, the final 36 hours of which will remain the most unforgettable and daunting of my life..." Bharuccha wrote in the statement.
"After two days of visiting all of Israel's historic places, Jerusalem, Jaffa, Baha'i, the Dead Sea, we'd almost ended our trip with a celebratory dinner for the film's cast on Friday night," she said.
In the evening, Bharuccha, joined by her Israeli co-actors Tsahi Halevi and Amir Boutrous, joyously raised their glasses to celebrate their film being chosen for the Haifa Film Festival.
Little did they know that they would find themselves in the middle of a deadly attack by Hamas militants who would send hundreds of rockets raining down from the sky, wreaking havoc and destruction.
"In a state of complete terror, our first impulse was to somehow reach the Indian Embassy, situated barely 2 km from our hotel, but a distance that seemed impossible to cover without any mode of transport whatsoever and only the dreadful sounds of explosions at very close range," she said.
Recalling the situation out there, Bharuccha shared that it was 'extremely dangerous' as Hamas militants were pulling civilians out of their homes and shooting them randomly. They also opened fire on vehicles on the roads.
"Caught in the middle of a war in a foreign country was hardly something any of us had envisaged. But this was also when help had come in for us from completely unexpected quarters: calls from our Israeli co-actors, guidance from the Indian and Israeli embassies, the kind staff at the hotel, and, most miraculously, a taxi driver who selflessly helped us at this most difficult and life-threatening time of our lives!"
On Sunday morning, the news of Nushrratt stuck and untraceable in Israel, made headlines in the Indian press.
However, the actress somehow reached Ben Gurion Airport and was brought back to India safely through connecting flights.
Upon her safe return to India, the actress expressed her heartfelt gratitude in a video, emphasizing how fortunate she was to be back in her country where she feels secure and well-protected.
The actress expressed her gratitude to the Indian and Israeli embassies for facilitating her return to India, and also offered her prayers for the well-being and safety of those who are still stranded in Israel.