15-Year-Old Boy Drowns Near Palmachim Beach After Swimming With Friends

Indshau Darba, a 15-year-old boy from Rishon Lezion, drowned on Wednesday near an unregulated beach close to Palmachim. According to his uncle Assi, Indshau wanted to enjoy time with friends but tragically never returned home. He had recently completed ninth grade at Oriah Religious High School and was described as a good student, kind, disciplined, and funny.

Indshau left behind his father, Zaggia, mother, Barkant, and five siblings. His family gathered at the Ethiopian community center in Rishon Lezion to mourn, with many coming to offer condolences. Batam Makonen, a city council member, noted Indshau’s volunteer work in a community safety project called "Osim Shchuna," emphasizing the need for children to swim only at supervised beaches during the summer.

On Wednesday around 18:35, Indshau and two friends entered the water at the unsupervised beach. They were caught in a current, and while the two friends were rescued unharmed, Indshau was found about 30 meters from shore. A volunteer on a jet ski brought him to paramedics, who performed CPR and rushed him to Wolfson Hospital in Holon, where he was pronounced dead.

Indshau’s funeral is scheduled for 12:00 at Ganei Esther Cemetery in Rishon Lezion. His involvement in community activities and the tragic circumstances of his death have deeply affected his family and local community members.