The solemn homecoming took place 738 days after his abduction, following confirmation of his death last week. Joshi, a 23-year-old agriculture student, was in Israel under the ‘Learn and Earn’ programme, working at Kibbutz Alumim – a farming settlement near the Gaza border – when Hamas terrorists launched a deadly cross-border assault on October 7
Nepal’s Interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki receives Bipin Joshi’s mortal remains at Tribhuvan International Airport. Pic/X
Nepal on Monday received the mortal remains of Bipin Joshi, a young Nepali student who was abducted and later killed while in Hamas captivity during the October 2023 attacks in Israel, news agency ANI reported.
#WATCH | Kathmandu | Nepal's interim PM Sushila Karki along with her cabinet members paid tribute to Bipin Joshi who was killed in Hamas captivity. pic.twitter.com/tWZkBcCFyB
— ANI (@ANI) October 20, 2025
The solemn homecoming took place 738 days after his abduction, following confirmation of his death last week.
Joshi, a 23-year-old agriculture student, was in Israel under the ‘Learn and Earn’ programme, working at Kibbutz Alumim – a farming settlement near the Gaza border – when Hamas terrorists launched a deadly cross-border assault on October 7, 2023. He was one of 17 Nepali students abducted during the attack.
For several months, Joshi’s fate remained uncertain. A video later released by the Israeli army had shown him alive in captivity, fuelling hopes that he might still be rescued. However, as part of the recent hostage exchange and ceasefire agreement facilitated by the United States in the first phase of the Middle East peace plan, Hamas handed over the bodies of four captives, including that of Joshi’s.
Apart from Joshi, the other victims identified by Hamas’s military wing, the Qassam Brigades, were Guy Ilouz, Yossi Sharabi, and Daniel Perez. The bodies were returned after 20 other hostages were released alive. The National Centre of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv confirmed Joshi’s identity through DNA testing, and his body was repatriated to Nepal following necessary procedures, ANI reported.
On Monday, Nepal’s Interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki received Joshi’s body in a solemn ceremony held at Tribhuvan International Airport. Draping the national flag over the coffin and offering floral tributes, Karki paid homage to Joshi, acknowledging his tragic fate and the pain endured by his family.
Other ministers and government officials also paid their respects, ANI reported.
According to a letter sent to Joshi’s family, he died from a gunshot wound to the head. However, the exact time, place, and circumstances of his death remain unclear. While Hamas has claimed that Joshi was killed in an Israeli airstrike, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has accused Hamas of murdering him. Earlier this month, the IDF stated, “Bipin was abducted at the age of 23 from a shelter in Kibbutz Alumim by Hamas.”
Joshi's death has deeply saddened Nepal, with many calling for continued efforts to ensure the safety of its citizens working abroad. His story has become a tragic reminder of the unpredictable dangers faced by migrant workers in conflict zones.
(With ANI inputs)
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