First Indian Casualty In Israel-Hamas War As Hezbollah Strikes Orchard In Israel

New Delhi: An Indian national from Kerala died while two others were injured in a Hezbollah missile strike in north Israel’s Margaliot on Monday.

The deceased has been identified as Patnibin Maxwell (31), a native of Kerala’s Kollam district. He was working along with Bush Joseph George (31) and Paul Melvin (28), also from Kerala, in an orchard on Israel’s northern border of Margaliot when the missile hit the plantation killing him and injuring the other two.

“The missile hit a plantation in Margaliot, a moshav (collective agricultural community), in the Galilee region in the north of Israel around 11 am on Monday,” spokesperson for rescue services Magen David Adom (MDA) Zaki Heller told PTI.

Maxwell’s mortal remains were identified at Ziv hospital in Safed, Israel, where Melvin from Idukki district was also hospitalised with minor injuries. George, who sustained injuries on his face and body, was, however, taken to Beilinson Hospital at Petah Tikva, where he underwent surgery.

“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….. 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,” the Israel Embassy in India wrote on X.

Maxwell, who had arrived in Israel only two months ago on a work contract, is survived by a five-year-old daughter and seven months pregnant wife.

The Indian government in a statement has said that it is deeply troubled by the conflict and the humanitarian crisis in Israel. “As far as India is concerned, we have been deeply troubled by the conflict in Gaza that has been raging for nearly five months now. The humanitarian crisis has deepened,” Permanent Representative of India to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj, said at the United Nations General Assembly briefing on the Gaza crisis.

Millions of people have been displaced and more than 30,000 have died in the over 100 days of war between Israel and Hamas war in Gaza.