Mortal remains of Indian worker killed in anti-missile attack on Israel's north on way to India

People at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Odaisseh, Lebanon. Pic/AP

The flight carrying the mortal remains of an Indian worker, Patnibin Maxwell, killed by an anti-tank missile fired from Lebanon left on Thursday evening for India, official sources said. Maxwell, 30, was from Kollam in Kerala.

Israel's Minister of Interior, Moshe Arbel, Director General of Population and Immigration Authority (PIBA), officials from the Israeli foreign ministry and senior diplomats from the Indian embassy on Thursday evening attended a memorial send-off ceremony.

"A high-level delegation from @IsraelMFA, Ministry of Agriculture, led by Minister of Interior, Moshe Arbel, and his senior team, went to pay respects to Patnibin Maxwell-The Indian national who was killed by Hezbollah rocket while working on a farm. Om Shanti," Naor Gilon, Ambassador of Israel to India, posted on X.

The remains were sent aboard Air India flight AI 140 for Delhi and from there will be sent to Trivandrum on Air India flight AI 801 scheduled for 15:00 hours India time on Friday.

Maxwell was killed when an anti-tank missile hit a plantation in Margaliot, a Moshav (collective agricultural community), in the Galilee region in the north of Israel at around 11 AM on Monday. His mortal remains were identified in Ziv Hospital.

Seven other workers were injured in the attack, including two Indians who are also from Kerala. Bush Joseph George, 31, from Vazhathope and Paul Melvin, 28, from Vagamon were injured and taken to hospitals for treatment.

"George was taken to the Beilinson hospital in Petah Tikva after suffering injuries on face and body. He underwent an operation, is recovering well, and is kept under observation. He could speak with his family in India", official sources told PTI.

Melvin was slightly injured and is hospitalised at Ziv Hospital in the northern Israeli city of Safed. The Indian mission in Tel Aviv issued an "important Advisory" on Tuesday urging its nationals to relocate to safe areas in the country, a day after the deadly attack.

"In view of the prevailing security situation and local safety advisories, all Indian nationals in Israel, especially those working in or visiting border areas in the north and south, are advised to relocate to safe areas within Israel", the mission said in an advisory posted on various social media platforms.

"The embassy remains in touch with the Israeli authorities to ensure the safety of all our nationals", the advisory added. Several Indian workers from the north are said to have shifted to areas considered safe from missile attacks.

The attack is believed to have been carried out by the Shi'ite Hezbollah faction in Lebanon, which has been launching rockets, missiles, and drones at northern Israel daily since October 8 in support of Hamas amid the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.

Israel has also been operating in Lebanon, mainly targeting Hezbollah and Hamas targets in that country. The skirmishes between Israel and Hezbollah have resulted in the death of seven civilians, including Maxwell, and 10 IDF soldiers on the Israeli side.

Hezbollah has named 229 members who have been killed by Israel during recent flare-ups. Most of the casualties on the Hezbollah side happened in Lebanon but also some in Syria. Another 37 operatives from other groups, a Lebanese soldier, and at least 30 civilians have also been killed since October 8.

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