KATHMANDU: The process of repatriating the body of Nepali student Bipin Joshi, who had been held captive by the Palestinian group Hamas for the past two years, has begun.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representatives from the Nepali Embassy in Israel visited the National Center for Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv on Tuesday to verify Joshi’s body and initiate the repatriation process.
The ministry stated that after the body is brought back to Nepal, efforts will continue—with coordination among concerned authorities and governments—to determine the exact cause and circumstances of his death, ensure justice, and facilitate compensation, insurance, and other entitlements for his family.
Earlier today, Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai held a phone conversation with Eden Bar Tal, Director General of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who formally informed him of Joshi’s death.
Following a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas after two years of conflict, Hamas handed over Joshi’s body to Israel through the Red Cross on Monday.
Joshi, a Nepali student in Israel under the Learn and Earn program, had been taken hostage by Hamas on October 7, 2023. The Government of Nepal had been making continued efforts for his safe release since his capture.
After the ceasefire, on October 13, 2025, Israeli authorities informed Joshi’s family and Nepali officials in a virtual meeting that his name was not on the list of hostages being released and that his whereabouts were unknown.
The Foreign Ministry expressed deep sorrow over the confirmation of his death, extending heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.
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