Body of Nepali hostage held in Gaza repatriated after release by Hamas

A member of the Nepalese army pays his respects to Bipin Joshi (Niranjan Shrestha/AP)

The body of a Nepali student who was among the hostages being held in Gaza arrived in Kathmandu on Monday after being repatriated, authorities said.

The remains of Bipin Joshi were flown from Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv and arrived at Tribhuvan International Airport.

Nepal’s Foreign Ministry said Mr Joshi’s body would be taken to his home town of Bhimdattanagar later on Monday evening.

“The Nepal government made various attempts at different levels, to the extent possible, for Joshi’s release while he was in captivity,” the ministry said in a statement.

Relatives of Bipin Joshi mourn next to his coffin during a farewell ceremony before his body was flown to Nepal (Ariel Schalit/AP)

Mr Joshi was among 17 Nepali students studying agriculture in southern Israel when Hamas launched its October 7 2023 attack that ignited the war in Gaza. He had arrived in Israel a month earlier on a student exchange programme to work and study at Kibbutz Alumim, near the Gaza border.

The Hamas attack left 10 Nepali students dead and injured six others before Mr Joshi, then 22, was kidnapped.

The Israel Defence Force said on October 14 that Joshi was killed in captivity during the first months of the war.

His death was declared while his mother and sister were in the US lobbying the international community, including the United Nations, for his release.

Nepal’s Prime Minister Sushila Karki paid tribute to Mr Joshi during a ceremony at Kathmandu’s airport, where she draped the national flag over his coffin.

“Bipin’s courage and bravery are a matter of pride for every Nepali,” Ms Karki said.

“He is a son of Nepal, a son of every mother. We will never forget him. He lives in our hearts.”