Nepal Demands Justice for Bipin Joshi Killed in Hamas Captivity

Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a press release on Tuesday evening demanding justice for the student who was in Israel under the "Learn and Earn" scheme and abducted on October 7, 2023.

"Even after the body of Bipin Joshi has been brought to Nepal, it is requested that appropriate initiatives be continued to find out the truth about the real cause and circumstances of his death, to provide justice, and to provide his family with social security, compensation, insurance, facilities, etc," the statement reads.

The press release also states that Nepali Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai held a telephonic conversation with Eden Bar Tal, Director-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel.

"Mr. Bar Tal formally informed about the sad demise of Nepali citizen Bipin Joshi, expressing his condolences to the deceased on behalf of the Israeli government and expressing his deep condolences to his family, the Government of Nepal and the people of Nepal," the release reads.

Hamas handed over the body of Bipin Joshi to Israel yesterday through the Red Cross. The Foreign Ministry also announced that the body of Bipin Joshi has been identified and the process of sending the body to Nepal has been initiated.

The announcement from the Government of Nepal comes after the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) announced that Nepali youth Bipin Joshi was murdered in captivity during the first months of the Gaza war that began in October 2023.

"Bipin was abducted at the age of 23 from a shelter in Kibbutz Alumim by Hamas. It is assessed that he was murdered in captivity during the first months of the war," the IDF said in a statement posted on X on Tuesday.

https://x.com/IDF/status/1978026190087586273

"Final conclusions will be determined after the completion of the examination of the circumstances of death by the National Centre of Forensic Medicine." IDF representatives informed the families of Guy Iluz, Bipin Joshi, and two additional deceased hostages, whose names have not yet been cleared for publication by their families, that their loved ones have been brought back for burial, the IDF said.

Citing the information and intelligence it received, the IDF said Guy was abducted alive and injured by Hamas after escaping the Nova music festival. "Guy died from his wounds after not receiving proper medical treatment while held captive," it claimed. "He was 26 years old at his death."

A student under Israel's Learn and Earn Programme, Joshi was working at the Alumim kibbutz with 16 other Nepalis when Hamas launched its assault in October 2023. Ten Nepalis were killed, five were injured, and one escaped unharmed in the attack. Joshi's whereabouts were unknown since then.

His name was missing from the list of 20 living hostages freed earlier under a US-brokered ceasefire deal. His death was confirmed by Israeli officials, who briefed Ambassador Pandit and Joshi's family in a virtual meeting on Monday.

Successive governments had pursued all possible diplomatic channels to secure Joshi's release, engaging with officials from Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, and the US. Joshi's family, who had travelled to Israel and the US seeking his release, are now awaiting the return of his body to Nepal.

- ANI