Indian man killed in Israel's Hezbollah missile attack, two injured

Maxwell, who had arrived in Israel just two months prior, was working on a farm at the time of the incident. He leaves behind a five-year-old daughter and a pregnant wife. 

Digital Desk: In a tragic incident on Tuesday, an Indian national, 31-year-old Pat Nibin Maxwell from Kollam, Kerala, lost his life in a missile attack near Israel's northern border. The attack, believed to have been carried out by the Shi'ite Hezbollah faction in Lebanon, occurred in the agricultural community of Margaliot. Two other Indians, Bush Joseph George and Paul Melvin, suffered injuries in the attack.

Maxwell, who had arrived in Israel just two months prior, was working on a farm at the time of the incident. He leaves behind a five-year-old daughter and a pregnant wife. 

The injured individuals were identified as George and Melvin. George, who suffered injuries to his face and body, underwent surgery at Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikva and is reportedly recovering well. Melvin, from the Idukki district of Kerala, sustained minor injuries and is hospitalized at Ziv Hospital in Safed.

The missile struck an orchard in Margaliot, a moshav in the Galilee region of northern Israel, around 11 am on Monday. The ongoing attacks by Hezbollah from Lebanon have been targeting northern Israel since October 8 in support of Hamas amid the conflict in the Gaza Strip.

Expressing deep shock and sadness, the Israeli Embassy in India conveyed condolences for the loss and affirmed that Israeli medical institutions are providing support to the injured. 

“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 terrorist organization Hezbollah on peaceful agriculture workers who were cultivating an orchard in the northern village of Margaliot yesterday early afternoon.” It shares on X.

In the statement on X, the Embassy denounced the terror attack as a cowardly act by Hezbollah, offering assistance and expressing solidarity with the affected families. The Embassy emphasized equal regard for all nationals, Israeli or foreign, affected by terrorism.