Israel’s Foreign Ministry on Sunday held a solemn farewell ceremony at Ben Gurion Airport for slain Nepali hostage Bipin Joshi, whose body will be repatriated to Nepal after being recovered from Hamas captivity last week.
The farewell ceremony was attended by residents of Kibbutz Alumim, representatives of the Sdot Hanegev Regional Council, Nepali diplomats, and senior Israeli Foreign Ministry officials, including Eynat Shlein, deputy director-general of the ministry and head of Mashav. Gal Hirsch, Israel’s special envoy for hostages, lit a memorial candle in Joshi’s honour, praising his courage and sacrifice.
In a statement, the ministry said: “Bipin Joshi was only 23. A student from Nepal who came to Israel to learn agriculture and build a better future. Bipin was taken hostage by Hamas and killed in captivity in Gaza. His body now flies home to Nepal.
“An innocent life, full of promise, stolen too soon.”
Joshi, 23, an agricultural student from Nepal, was hailed as a hero for deflecting a live grenade during the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023, saving several lives before being abducted from Kibbutz Alumim and later killed in captivity in Gaza.
He had arrived in Israel under Mashav, Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation, as part of an international agricultural training programme.
Joshi’s family earlier confirmed his death, describing it as “the most devastating news” after months of clinging to hope following the release of a proof-of-life video filmed in Hamas tunnels. The family said in a statement.
“Bipin, you are a hero! The grenade you deflected before being brutally abducted saved the lives of your friends.”
The Israel Defense Forces escorted the remains to the National Centre of Forensic Medicine in Abu Kabir for identification. Nepal’s Ambassador to Israel, Dhan Prasad Pandit, said the body would be handed over to the family in Kathmandu once DNA verification was completed.
Nepal’s Foreign Ministry said it had worked through diplomatic channels — including Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, and the United States — to seek Joshi’s release. The family expressed gratitude to the governments of Israel, Nepal, and the United States, including former President Donald Trump, for supporting efforts to bring Bipin home.
Support our Journalism
No-nonsense journalism. No paywalls. Whether you’re in Australia, the UK, Canada, the USA, or India, you can support The Australia Today by taking a paid subscription via Patreon or donating via PayPal — and help keep honest, fearless journalism alive.
