Kathmandu [Nepal], October 20 (ANI): Nepal on Monday received the body of Bipin Joshi, an agriculture student who was killed while in Hamas captivity. The confirmation of his death came on October 13, 738 days after his abduction.
Since Joshi’s abduction, several successive Nepali governments had hoped he was still alive. However, a peace agreement and hostage release as part of the pact last week confirmed his death. The Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, handed over the bodies of four deceased captives, including Bipin Joshi, along with 20 others who were alive. The deceased were identified as Guy Ilouz, Yossi Sharabi, Bipin Joshi, and Daniel Perez.
Authorities took a week to conduct preparatory and medical procedures to verify Joshi’s identity. He had been abducted on October 7, 2023, along with 16 other Nepalis from Kibbutz Alumim in southern Israel under the Learn and Earn Program.
Upon arrival of the body in Nepal, Interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki honored Joshi by draping the national flag, offering flower garlands, and paying tribute. Other government ministers also paid their respects. According to the Israeli Defense Force (IDF), Joshi was killed a month after his capture.
Hamas and Israel have provided conflicting accounts of Joshi’s death. A letter received by his family states he died from a gunshot wound to the head. Hamas claims he was killed in an Israeli airstrike, while Israel asserts that Hamas murdered him. The National Centre of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv confirmed his identity through DNA testing.
Joshi was abducted at the age of 23 from a shelter in Kibbutz Alumim near the Gaza border. A month after his capture, a video surfaced showing him alive in captivity. His death comes amid the first phase of the US-proposed Middle East peace plan, which included the exchange of hostages and Palestinian prisoners. (ANI)
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