Indian Embassy in Israel receives body of Hamas rocket attack victim Soumya

New Delhi/Idukki: The Indian Embassy in Tel Aviv on Wednesday received the body of Soumya Santhosh, killed in a Palestinian rocket attack in Israel. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the body would be flown home very soon.

Soumya Santhosh, 32, who worked as a caregiver for an elderly woman in Ashkelon in Israel, was killed in a deadly rocket attack on Tuesday, while she was on a video call with her husband, Santhosh, back home.

During his sunset press meet, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday said that the state government is in touch with MEA and is making arrangements to bring the body of Soumya, a native of Keerithodu in Idukki district, as soon as possible.

Sharing the grief of Soumya's family and friends and offering condolences, the CM said NORKA's Principal Secretary K Ilangovan had contacted Indian Ambassador to Israel Sanjeev Kumar Singla.

The government has also demanded the Centre to take steps to ensure compensation in a way that can provide relief to the family in the untimely demise of Soumya.

Earlier in the day, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan had said the Indian embassy authorities in the Israeli capital Tel Aviv are making efforts to bring Soumya's body to India.

Muraleedharan, who spoke to Sanjeev Kumar Singla over phone, said Israeli authorities will hand over the body to India after completing all the formalities there.

The minister said he had telephoned the family of Soumya on Tuesday night to convey his condolences.

"Spoke with the family of Ms Soumya Santhosh to convey my deep condolences at her tragic demise during the rocket attacks from Gaza today. Assured all possible assistance."

"We have condemned these attacks and the violence in Jerusalem, and urged restraint by both sides," Muraleedharan said in a tweet.

Nine-year-old still waits for her call

His chances of a reunion with his mother crushed forever, the nine-year-old son of Soumya, killed in a Palestinian rocket attack in Israel, is unable to cope with the loss and still awaits her phone call.

Condoling Soumya's death, Israel's envoy to India said the situation reminded him of Moses, the Israeli boy who was orphaned in the terrorist attack in Mumbai in 2008.

The family is yet to recover from the shock and cannot believe they will never be able to see her again.

Soumya's husband Santhosh is struggling to console their son, who could not cope with the situation.

"He is awaiting her call," Santhosh told reporters here, while holding back his tears.

The shell-shocked family never imagined Soumya will meet with such a tragic end after she travelled to Israel in search of better fortunes.

She had worked as a caregiver for an elderly woman in Ashkelon in that country, although she had often shared her anguish with her family about massive firings in the Israeli territory by the Hamas group.

It all happened as Soumya was planning her return to Kerala, ending over seven years of toil in the Israeli city, for a better life back home.

It was a Tuesday afternoon and Soumya was on a video call with her husband telling him about the tense atmosphere in the southern Israeli coastal city of Ashkelon.

Little did she know that it would be her last call.

As she was sharing the details of the war-like situation prevailing in the area, Santhosh heard a huge sound on the other end.

Her phone, which was still connected, had fallen down.

"I uttered "hello, hello" over the phone, but there was no response from the other side."

"After a minute-and-a-half, I could hear the noise of some people on the other end. The phone was still connected," Santhosh said.

Sensing danger, Santhosh immediately alerted his family members, who got in touch with Soumya's friends in Ashkelon and came to know of her tragic demise.

Israel offers condolences

Israeli Ambassador to India, Ron Malka, said he contacted Soumya's family and offered his condolences.

"I just spoke to the family of Ms. Soumya Santhosh, the victim of the Hamas strike. I expressed my sorrow for their unfortunate loss & extended my condolences on behalf of the state of Israel. The whole country is mourning her loss & we are here for them," he tweeted.

He said the death of Soumya, a mother, reminded him of the Israeli boy Moses, who was orphaned in the terrorist attack in Mumbai, in 2008.

"My heart goes out to her 9-year-old son, Adon, who has lost his mother at such a young age and will have to grow up without her. This evil attack reminds me of little Moses, who also lost his parents during the 2008 #Mumbaiattacks. May God give them strength and courage," he said in the tweet.

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