IDUKKI: A woman from Idukki district of Kerala, who was working as a caretaker in Israel died in a mortar shell attack by Hamas on Tuesday. Soumya,30, a native of Kanjiramthanam near Adimali was working as a caretaker at a house at Ashkelon in Israel -- that borders the Gaza strip.
According to sources, two women including Soumya were killed while many were injured in the attack that took place at 5.30 pm.
Soumya's sister in law Sherly Benny, who also works in Israel confirmed the news. "The incident occurred at around 3 pm local time. After hearing about it, I rushed to the house where Soumya worked. The mortar shell landed on the house and the entire building was completely destroyed. Both Soumya and the elderly woman whom she was attending died in the attack, " she said.
Soumya had been working in Israel for the past 7 years and had visited her family last in 2017. "She had contacted us at around 5 pm. Later we got information that she was killed in a mortar attack by Hamas. We have contacted the embassy with the help of Dean Kuriakose MP and arrangements are being made to bring the body home," said Saji, brother of Soumya's husband Santhosh.
Santhosh is a farmer and the couple has a son. Soumya's parents Satheesh and Savitri are ex-ward members of Kanjikuzhy panchayat in Idukki.