Pat Nibin Maxwell, a 31-year-old native of Kollam in Kerala, tragically lost his life when a missile launched by Hezbollah militants from Lebanon struck near the northern Israeli border community of Margaliot. The attack also left two other Indians, Paul Melvin and Bush Joseph George, both from Idukki in Kerala, injured.
The missile struck a plantation in Margaliot, a collective agricultural community, located in the Galilee region of northern Israel around 11 a.m. on Monday, as confirmed by Zaki Heller, a spokesperson for the rescue services Magen David Adom (MDA).
Maxwell, originally from Kollam, had recently arrived in Israel just two months prior on a work contract and was employed at a plantation in the vicinity. Tragically, he was in close proximity to the orchard when the missile struck the Israeli border.
According to Maxwell’s father, his son had previously traveled to Muscat and Dubai before heading to Israel. “Thereafter, he went to Israel. First my elder son went there, and a week later my younger son too went there,” he revealed.
Maxwell leaves behind his wife and a five-year-old daughter, with his wife also being seven months pregnant, as confirmed by his father. The family has been devastated by the news of Maxwell’s death and is now awaiting the arrival of his mortal remains. Maxwell has two other siblings, with his elder brother also working in Israel, while the third sibling resides in Abu Dhabi.
The Indian Embassy has been contacted by Maxwell’s family, and arrangements are being made to repatriate his body to Kerala, a process expected to take around four days, as reported by the Hindustan Times.
In response to the tragic incident of deatth of Pat Nibin Maxwell, the Embassy of Israel in New Delhi issued a statement expressing deep shock and sadness over the death of one Indian national and the injury of two others. The attack, described as a cowardly act by the Shia terrorist organization Hezbollah, targeted peaceful agricultural workers cultivating an orchard in the northern village of Margaliot.
The attack is believed to have been carried out by the Hezbollah faction in Lebanon, which has been regularly launching rockets, missiles, and drones at northern Israel since October 8 in support of Hamas amid the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip.
In retaliation, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) responded by shelling the launch site with artillery. Additionally, the IDF conducted airstrikes targeting a Hezbollah compound where members of the group were gathered in the southern Lebanese town of Chihine, as well as another site belonging to Hezbollah in Ayta ash-Shab.
The skirmishes between Israel and Hezbollah have resulted in casualties on both sides, with seven civilians and ten IDF soldiers reported dead on the Israeli side, according to PTI.
The tragic loss of Pat Nibin Maxwell underscores the devastating impact of conflict and terrorism on innocent lives. As efforts continue to bring stability and peace to the region, the international community must remain vigilant in condemning acts of violence and supporting efforts to resolve conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy.