A South Korean military plane has brought home 163 South Korean nationals from Israel amid the escalating conflict between the Jewish state and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

According to Seoul’s foreign and defense ministries, a KC-330 military transport plane landed at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam at 10:45 p.m. Saturday, carrying 163 South Koreans.

The aircraft had arrived in Tel Aviv on Friday afternoon and departed for South Korea early on Saturday.

Additional passengers in the aircraft include Japanese nationals and family members, 51 people in total, along with six Singaporeans. The government said it provided humanitarian aid by bringing aboard the foreign nationals as there was room left in the 230-seat plane.

The foreign ministry said that Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Japanese Ambassador to Israel Koichi Mizushima expressed gratitude to the South Korean government for the emergency transportation of its people.

The government deployed the aircraft to ensure the safety of South Koreans amid delays and cancellations of civilian flights from Tel Aviv.