‘Focused on safety of all our citizens in Israel’: MEA on death of 2nd Indian

New Delhi:India on Friday said it is focused on the safety and security of all its citizens in Israel following the death of an Indian and injuries to two more in a missile attack carried out by Hezbollah in support of Hamas.
Pat Nibin Maxwell, a resident of Kerala, was killed when a missile fired from Lebanon struck an orchard at Galilee in northern Israel on March 4. Following his death, the Indian embassy in Israel advised the Indians, especially those working in or visiting border areas in north and south Israel, to relocate to safer areas.
“We have over 18,000 caregivers and other professionals in Israel. Their safety and security is of prime concern for us,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told a regular news briefing.
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The Indian embassy is doing its best to ensure the safety of all the Indian nationals working in Israel, he said. “They’ve opened a helpline. We have issued an advisory for their safety and security,” he added.
Jaiswal reiterated that the advisory had asked Indians in Israel to exercise caution and keep themselves in safe areas for their security. “A helpline is there, if anybody needs help, they can contact the embassy,” he said.
Responding to a question about Israel’s efforts to recruit Indians from some Indian states to replace Palestinian workers in the aftermath of the Israel-Hamas conflict, Jaiswal said the government-to-government agreement in this regard “is still in the works”.
India has urged the world community to ensure the conflict in Gaza doesn’t spread beyond the region and to seek a two-state solution where Palestinian people can live within secure borders.