Kerala woman killed in Palestinian rocket strike in Israel while on video call with husband

Thiruvananthapuram, May 12

The mortal remains of Kerala's Soumya Santhosh, who was was killed on Tuesday in a rocket attack in the Israeli city of Ashkelon, where she has been working as a caregiver, will be brought to her home, said relatives and authorities.

Soumya, 31, has been working in Israel for the past nine years and she last visited her home in Idukki four years back said her grieving husband Santhosh.

Sources said that the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine has now become a subject of growing concern for the Kerala nurses who work there as caregivers.

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.

"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.

"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 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.

"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.

IANS

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