Kerala woman working in Israel killed in mortar shell attack by Hamas, body to be brought home

31-year-old Soumya Santhosh, a native of Kanjiramthanam near Adimali, was working as a caretaker of an old woman at a house in the southern Israeli coastal city of Ashkelon – the most affected border along the Gaza strip. Two women including Soumya lost their life while many were injured in the deadly rocket attack that took place at Ashkelon at 5:30 pm, according to media reports.

An Indian woman, hailing from the Idukki district of Kerala, who was working as a caregiver in Israel, was killed in a fatal mortar shell attack by Hamas on Tuesday.

31-year-old Soumya Santhosh, a native of Kanjiramthanam near Adimali, was working as a caretaker of an old woman at a house in the southern Israeli coastal city of Ashkelon – the most affected border along the Gaza strip.

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Two women including Soumya lost their life while many were injured in the deadly rocket attack that took place at Ashkelon at 5:30 pm, according to media reports.

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The rocket shelter was minutes away from the elderly women’s house, but because the deadly rocket directly struck the house,  the pair could not manage to leave the place and reach there in time, the local media reported.

The mortal remains of the victim will be brought to her home, according to her relatives and authorities.

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Soumya, was working in Israel for the past nine years and she last visited her home in Idukki four years back said her grieving husband Santhosh

Recalling the incident, Santhosh said they were speaking on a video call and suddenly he heard a huge noise and there was no answer from the other side.

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"After a while, I could hear loud noise of some people there as the video call was connected. Later, I was informed that she along with a few others had died," told Santhosh.

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"We had told her to go to another place and she was taking care of an elderly lady. On Tuesday, while being on my call, she called the son and daughter of the lady.

The son had told her to get ready and he will come to take her. And she had packed the bags of her's and the elderly lady and was about to have some kanji (gruel) as she was doubtful of getting such food to the area she was moving," said Santhosh.

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"Now she has gone and that's it," he added.

Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for External Affairs V.Muraleedharan informed that all steps are being taken to bring home Soumya's body, which is now kept at a hospital in Bursail, Ashkelon. 

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(With IANS inputs)

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