Missile Attack In Israel; Kerala Man Killed, Two Injured
An Indian national from Kerala was killed with two others, also from Kerala, have been injured after an anti-tank missile fired from Lebanon hit Israel”s northern border area of Margaliot on Monday. Reportedly, the missile hit a collective agricultural community, called a moshav, in the Galilee region in northern Israel.
The deceased was identified as Nibin Maxwell, a 31-year-old native of Kaikulangara in Kollam, Kerala. The injured were identified as Joseph George and Paul Melvin.
Rescue services Magen David Adom (MDA) confirmed the incident, stating that the missile hit a plantation area in Margaliot around 11 am local time. The attack, part of ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, prompted a swift response from the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), which retaliated by shelling the launch site in Lebanon with artillery. The IDF also targeted Hezbollah compounds in southern Lebanon, further escalating tensions in the region.
According to Zaki Heller, spokesperson for MDA, the remains of Maxwell were identified at the Ziv Hospital. While the injured victims have been transported to the hospital for treatment, Maxwell had reportedly arrived in Israel two months ago and was working with a farmer when the attack occurred. He is survived by his seven-month-pregnant wife and a five-year-old daughter.
“George was taken to the Beilinson hospital in Petah Tikva after suffering injuries to his face and body. He underwent an operation, is recovering well, and has been kept under observation. He could speak with his family in India,” an official source said, as quoted in an India Today report. With minor injuries, Melvin has been hospitalised at Ziv Hospital in Safed. He belongs to the Idukki district in Kerala.
As per a report in the Indian Express, “Around 4 pm (IST), Nibin spoke to his father and shared his concern about the volatile situation in the region. He told his father that they (the Kerala natives employed on the farm) were planning to move to another location. The missile attack happened later in the evening,” said a family relative. Maxwell’s brother, Nivin, also works in Israel.
At 12:30 am, Pathrose Maxwell, the victim’s father, got a phone call confirming the death of his son. The body is expected to reach Kerala within four days, as stated in The Hindu.
According to the Times of Israel, around seven people have been affected by the anti-tank rocket attack, including nationals from Thailand.
The Israeli embassy in India released a statement and said, “Our prayers and thought 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. We will be there to support the families and offer them assistance.”
Blaming the incident on “Shia Terror organisation Hezbollah,” the embassy stated that the organisation had targeted “peaceful agriculture workers who were cultivating an orchard at the northern village of Margailot yesterday early afternoon.”
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…
— Israel in India (@IsraelinIndia) March 5, 2024
Notably, Hezbollah has signalled its willingness to halt attacks on Israel if a truce is reached, contingent on Israeli forces refraining from shelling Lebanon. The group remains steadfast in its demands for a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip before engaging in discussions regarding southern Lebanon.
