Nepalese Hindu Student Bipin Joshi Confirmed Dead After Being Held Hostage By Hamas For Two Years

Amidst a breakthrough Gaza peace agreement brokered by US President Donald Trump, which resulted in Hamas releasing 20 living hostages, a heartbreaking revelation emerged. The remains of Bipin Joshi, a Nepalese Hindu student abducted by Hamas over two years ago, have been returned to Israeli authorities.

Dhan Prasad Pandit, Nepal's Ambassador to Israel, informed Nepali news outlet Republica that Joshi's body was transferred to Tel Aviv late Monday evening.

"Hamas handed over Bipin Joshi's body to Israeli authorities, and it is currently being transported to Tel Aviv," Pandit confirmed.

Israeli military spokesperson Effie Defrin verified that Hamas had relinquished the remains of four hostages, including Joshi, to Israeli custody.

Before repatriation to Nepal, DNA testing will be conducted on the remains. Final rites will be performed in Israel in collaboration with the Nepali embassy.

Joshi's story began in September 2023, when he joined an agricultural study and work program at Kibbutz Alumim near the Gaza border, alongside 16 fellow students. The program was designed to provide valuable experience in Israeli agricultural techniques—a potentially life-changing opportunity for these young scholars.

This opportunity turned into tragedy on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a devastating attack on southern Israel. As sirens wailed, the students sought shelter in a bomb shelter. Shortly after, gunfire and explosions erupted around them. Hamas militants threw grenades into the shelter—one detonated and injured several students, but Joshi acted heroically by grabbing the second grenade and throwing it out before it exploded, saving his companions' lives.

He was subsequently captured by Hamas fighters and taken into Gaza. In the following days, footage released by Israeli military appeared to show Joshi being forcibly brought into Gaza's Shifa Hospital, which was his last known sighting alive. His family and friends maintained hope for his safe return, while his mother and sister traveled to both Israel and the United States to advocate for his release.

Bipin Joshi would have celebrated his 25th birthday on October 26.

As peace negotiations progress on the Gaza agreement, Joshi's fate serves as a somber reminder of the profound and lasting trauma inflicted by the Middle East conflict.