KATHMANDU: As uncertainty deepens over the fate of Nepali student Bipin Joshi, who was taken hostage by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, attacks in Israel, his family continues to hold on to hope.
Bipin’s elder brother, Kishor Joshi, said on Monday that he had spoken with Israeli officials earlier in the day regarding the ongoing situation. “I spoke with Israeli officials this morning. Hamas has officially announced the names of 20 hostages to be released, and Bipin’s name is not among them,” he told Kantipur Daily in a phone interview. “Still, we have hope that my brother will return. There is no reason to lose faith yet.”
Kishor expressed pain over the widespread speculation and unverified reports circulating on social media about his brother’s fate. “We have suffered deeply before, and now the uncertainty continues to hurt us,” he said. “But we remain hopeful. We believe Bipin will come back.”
Bipin Joshi, a student from Kanchanpur, was among a group of Nepali students working on a farm in southern Israel when Hamas militants launched an attack on October 7 last year. Ten Nepali nationals were killed in the assault, while Joshi was reported missing and later believed to have been taken captive by Hamas.
Despite some media reports claiming his death, the Government of Nepal has stated that Israel has not yet provided any official confirmation regarding his condition.
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