Nepali Student Killed in Hamas Captivity Cremated with State Honours

KalimNews, Kanchanpur, October 21, 2025 :  Bipin Joshi, the 24-year-old Nepali student who lost his life while being held hostage by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, was cremated with full state honours on Tuesday at the banks of the Mahakali River in Ward 3 of Bhimdatta Municipality, Kanchanpur.

Joshi was among 17 Nepali students working in Israel under the “Learn and Earn” programme when the Hamas militant group launched a surprise attack on Kibbutz Alumim in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Ten of the students were killed, five others injured, and one managed to escape. Joshi was taken hostage and remained missing for nearly two years before his death was confirmed by Israeli authorities on October 13, 2025.

At the cremation ceremony, Chief District Officer Laxman Dhakal draped the national flag over Joshi’s coffin, as members of the Armed Police Force offered a final salute in honour of the fallen youth. In a poignant show of international solidarity, representatives from the Israeli Embassy in Nepal also paid tribute by covering the body briefly with Israel’s national flag.

Hundreds of well-wishers, community members, and officials gathered along the funeral procession route to pay their last respects. The body had arrived in Kanchanpur on Monday night, flown from Kathmandu by a Nepali Army Sky Truck, following its repatriation from Tel Aviv earlier that day. A hearse carried the coffin to the Joshi family’s residence where scenes of grief unfolded as his father, Mahananda; mother, Padma; and sister, Pushpa, broke down in mourning. In honour of his memory, the local community refrained from lighting lamps or performing Laxmi Puja on the day of the funeral.

Israeli Ambassador to Nepal, Shmulik Arie Bass, along with embassy staff, visited the Joshi residence and paid their personal tributes, underscoring the impact Joshi’s story has had on both nations.

Bipin Joshi had been listed as missing following the 2023 Hamas attack, and his name was notably absent from the list of hostages released earlier as part of a US-brokered ceasefire agreement. According to Israeli military intelligence, he was killed during the early months of his captivity.

Nepal’s government had pursued multiple diplomatic channels over the past two years, engaging with officials from Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, and the United States in attempts to secure Joshi’s release. His family had travelled to both Israel and the US to campaign for his freedom. They returned to Nepal last week following official confirmation of his death.

Joshi’s body was returned to Nepal after being handed over to Israeli authorities by Hamas during recent ceasefire negotiations. The handover marked the end of a prolonged and painful search for closure by both his family and the wider Nepali public.

Prime Minister Sushila Karki paid homage to Joshi upon the body’s arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, calling him “a brave Nepali youth — a true son of Nepal” who “will always live in the hearts of every Nepali.” His body was draped in the national flag during the ceremony.

“Although Bipin is no longer in physical form, his courage and sacrifice will be remembered by the nation,” the Prime Minister stated. “We had hoped he would return alive. Though that hope is now gone, Bipin has immortalised the name of a brave Nepali.”

Karki also offered her condolences to the Joshi family and acknowledged their tireless efforts during the two-year ordeal, calling their determination a testament to love, resilience, and national pride.

The Hamas attack on Israel in 2023 killed approximately 1,200 people and led to the abduction of 251 individuals, including Joshi. The incident sparked a full-scale war, resulting in over 66,000 deaths in Gaza, according to the region’s Hamas-run health ministry.

Under the ceasefire arrangement, Israel is in the process of releasing nearly 2,000 prisoners and detainees. In return, Hamas has freed all remaining living hostages and begun returning the bodies of deceased captives. Joshi’s remains were among those recently repatriated.

His story has become a somber symbol of the global consequences of conflict and the personal tragedies that unfold far from home. Joshi is survived by his parents and sister, and his sacrifice continues to resonate deeply within Nepal and among Nepali communities worldwide.