Israel on Tuesday confirmed that Bipin Joshi, a 23-year-old Nepali citizen who was being held captive by Hamas after the October 7, 2023, attack, was one of the four slain hostages whose bodies were surrendered by the Palestinian militant group. The surrender was made as part of the Donald Trump-mediated Gaza ceasefire, which also facilitated the release of 20 surviving hostages.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reports “Bipin was abducted at the age of 23 from a shelter in Kibbutz Alumim by Hamas. It is assessed that he was murdered in captivity during the first months of the war.” The IDF further said that the body of the "Nepali hero who saved several lives during the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel", his remains will be returned to Nepal shortly for burial.
Who Was Bipin Joshi?
Bipin Joshi was a 23-year-old Nepalese student undergoing agricultural training in Israel under the nation's Learn and Earn Programme, which provides Nepali youth with practical exposure to farming and technology. He was one of 17 Nepali students at Kibbutz Alumim, a cooperative settlement near the Gaza Strip, when Hamas militants overran the region on, the Kathmandu Post reported.
The Kathmandu Post also reported that ten Nepalis were murdered, five others were wounded, and one escaped safely in the kibbutz attack. Joshi, on the other hand, was taken into custody by Hamas militants and was led into Gaza.
The October 7 attack and his heroic act
When chaos broke out, Bipin Joshi is said to have demonstrated incredible bravery that saved many lives. Bibhusha Adhikari, who was present as a survivor, said two grenades were hurled into the room where Joshi and others had sought refuge. Joshi simply picked them up and hurled them back in the direction of the attackers, sparing mass casualties.
His prompt action rescued 17 lives, including six local farm workers. "If he had hesitated back then, we would not have been alive," Adhikari said in an interview with The Himalayan Times.
Israeli authorities broke the news of his death to Nepal's ambassador Dhan Prasad Pandit and the family of Joshi in a virtual meeting on Monday, the Kathmandu Post reported.