KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said the fate of Bipin Joshi, the Nepali student believed to be held captive by Hamas since the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, remains unclear.
The Ministry’s statement comes amid conflicting media reports suggesting that Joshi, 24, may have died while in Hamas custody, even as the militant group has released seven hostages in the first phase of prisoner exchanges.
“Ambassador of Nepal to Israel is in regular contact with the Israeli government and military authorities,” said Lok Bahadur Chhetri, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, speaking to Khabarhub. “So far, the Israeli government has not confirmed whether Bipin is alive or deceased.”
According to Chhetri, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officials have informed Ambassador Dhan Prasad Poudel that Joshi’s status — alive or dead — remains unverified.
“Since Bipin’s name does not appear on the list of 20 hostages to be released alive by Hamas, there is some uncertainty,” Chhetri added. “We are awaiting formal communication from the Israeli government. It would be premature to draw conclusions without official confirmation on such a serious matter.”
Reports earlier this week claimed that an IDF official had informed Joshi’s family and the Nepali Embassy in Tel Aviv that he was no longer alive. However, Joshi’s father has publicly denied receiving such confirmation.
Joshi, a student from Nepal, was among 10 Nepali nationals caught in southern Israel during the Hamas attack last year. Ten Nepali students were killed in the assault, while Joshi was reported missing and later believed to have been taken hostage.
The Nepali government has reiterated that it continues to coordinate closely with Israeli authorities for verified information regarding Joshi’s status.
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