'As of now, Indians are safe': Pradeep Kalliath, priest in Jaffa

Terrorists came and attacked innocent people without provocation, he says

27-Pradeep-Kalliath

I HAIL FROM a small village in Thrissur district of Kerala. I came to Israel in 2020 to serve the Indian community and since then I have been serving as a priest at St. Peter’s church, Jaffa. The Indian community here is spread across cities like Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Beer Sheva, Ashkelon, Ashdod, Tiberias and so on. The areas affected by the war are mostly in the south, especially the ones near the Gaza border like Sderot, Ashkelon and Beer Sheva.

The terror attack began on an important feast day of the Jews, which coincided with the Sabbath. Terrorists came and attacked innocent people without provocation. They even attacked old people, women, children and treated them brutally. One lady from Kannur in Kerala, Sheeja Anand, is a victim of a rocket attack. She is in hospital and out of danger.

People continue to be afraid as terrorists are attacking people on the road, inside vehicles and in their homes. As of now, the Indian community is safe. In most houses, there is a safety room and in other places there are bunkers where people take shelter when there is a rocket alarm. There is panic and roads are empty. We hope the situation will become better in the coming days.