Violence between Israel and Palestine intensified recently and in between the “raining rockets” from Palestine and Israeli counter-attacking with air strikes and amassing tanks at the border, civilians in Israel including the Indians who have chosen to work there are deeply concerned not only for their livelihood but also life.
One Indian, 32-year old Soumya Santhosh was killed while she was on a video call with her husband who is in India in Kerala’s Idukki district.
Mariya Joseph, 33 informed an Indian daily that most of the Indians in Israel, especially those from Kerala, are working near Gaza. Joseph claims that she has not been able to sleep for the last four days amid the raining rockets and shaking buildings.
Indian Embassy in Israel’s data till 2019 reveals about 14,000 Indians there of which a massive 13,200 are employed as caregivers. So many international individuals are attracted to Israel as a caregiver due to the nation providing an easy migration process and considerable remuneration.
Further, there is no need to clear the standardised English test of IELTS (International English Language Test), which is dreaded by many Indians or OET (Occupational English Test). The only language requirement is attending a mandatory short-term course in Hebrew.
Besides these attractions, the home state of most Indian caregivers in Israel – Kerala – nurses are claimed to not being paid well-enough to cover their costs while the work in Israel provides a substantial take-home income.
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It is worth noting that Israel has chosen not to give family visa to these caregivers, and thus these nurses have to leave their families back in India.