An Indian man working in Israel was found dead in an apartment in Jerusalem’s Katamon neighbourhood and police are investigating his death. The 40-year-old man was found on the floor of the residence surrounded by a lot of blood, local media reported.
The Times of Israel reported that police described the scene as a house where the victim was found “stretched out” with blood around him. Yuval Reuven, chief of the Moriah police station, said officers had found the man inside the apartment. But investigators have not yet identified the victim or established the cause of death.
The case has raised suspicion of a possible criminal incident. According to Ynetnews, investigators believe the death may have a criminal background. Police have arrested a man from the southern Israeli city of Eilat on suspicion of involvement in the suspected murder.
The suspect has been taken to police for questioning and investigators are still trying to determine what led to the Indian worker’s death, the police said.
The incident is happening amid a high number of Indian workers in Israel. India's Ministry of External Affairs has reported that more than 32,000 Indian workers were in Israel as of October 2024. Many of them arrived in Israel after October 2023, many of them under a bilateral framework agreement between India and Israel.
The agreement, signed in November 2023, helped recruit Indian workers in the sectors that face labour shortages in Israel. Between 12,000 Indians had arrived in Israel after October 2023 and 6,365 during 2024 under the bilateral framework, the ministry said.
Indian nationals are mostly working in construction and caregiving in Israel. Their presence has grown as both countries have been trying to improve economic and people-to-people ties.
In February, India and Israel also agreed that up to 50,000 additional Indian workers could arrive in Israel over the next five years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu both acknowledged the contribution of Indian workers and their role in strengthening relations between the two countries.
The death in Jerusalem has therefore received more attention not only because of the criminal investigation but also because of the rising Indian workforce in Israel. Israeli authorities have not publicly identified the victim or established the exact cause of death. There are more details to come as the investigation proceeds.
