Following the death of an Indian national and two others injured in northern Israel when an anti-tank missile struck an orchard near the border, the Indian Embassy there has issued an advisory on Tuesday (March 5, 2024).
The important advisory has urged all Indian nationals, especially those working in or visiting border areas in the north and south to relocate to safe areas in that country. The advisory states that the embassy will remain in touch with the Israeli authorities to ensure safety of all Indian nationals.
According to reports, on Monday one Indian national died and two others were injured due to a terror attack launched by Hezbollah, on agriculture workers who were cultivating an orchard at the northern village of Margaliot yesterday early afternoon.
The three Indians hailed from Kerala.
The victim was identified as 31-year-old Pat Nibin Maxwell from Kollam in Kerala. Maxwell reportedly arrived in Israel two months back and was working on a farm, at the time of the attack.
He is survived by a five-year-old daughter and his wife, who is expecting another child. And the two injured Indians were identified as Bush Joseph George and Paul Melvin.
Reports surfaced on Monday indicating that a tragic incident occurred involving an Indian national losing their life and two others sustaining injuries in a terror attack launched by Hezbollah. The attack targeted agriculture workers who were working in an orchard in the northern village of Margaliot during the early afternoon hours of the previous day.
The missile struck the plantation in Margaliot, a community characterized by collective agricultural activities located in the Galilee region of northern Israel, around 11 am on Monday (Marc 4, 2024).
Zaki Heller, the spokesperson for the rescue services of Magen David Adom (MDA), provided details of the incident to the media, shedding light on the harrowing ordeal. Authorities believe that the Shiite Hezbollah faction in Lebanon orchestrated the attack.
ISRAELI EMBASSY RESPONDS
Meanwhile, the Israeli Embassy in India expressed grief over the death of the Indian national and said the Israeli medical institutions were at the service of those injured in the attack.
The Embassy has expressed shock in a post on the X (former Twitter). “We are deeply shocked and saddened by the death of one Indian national and the injury of two others due to a cowardly terror attack launched by Shia Terror organization Hezbollah, on peaceful agriculture workers who were cultivating an orchard at the northern village of Margaliot yesterday early afternoon.”
“Our prayers and thoughts naturally go to the families of the bereaved and those of the injured. Israeli Medical institutions are completely at the service of the injured who are being treated by our very best medical staff. Israel regards equally all nationals, Israeli or foreign, who are injured or killed due to terrorism,” it said.
“We will be there to support the families and offer them assistance. Our countries, who are sadly well versed in civilian loss, stand united in hopes of a speedy recovery for the injured and solace for the family of the bereaved,” the Embassy tweeted.