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Kathmandu, October 14 — Bipin Joshi, a Nepali young man who was taken by Hamas fighters from Israel 738 days ago, has been verified as deceased.

Although it was anticipated that he was still alive, and some media outlets had indicated Joshi’s condition as unknown, his name did not appear on the list provided by Hamas when the captives were released on Monday.

Several media outlets, including Al Jazeera and BBC, cited the Qassam Brigades in reports stating that the group planned to release the bodies of four captured individuals on Monday.

The Qassam Brigades serve as the armed branch of Hamas.

A declaration issued by Hamas’s military faction listed the deceased hostages as Guy Ilouz, Yossi Sharabi, Bipin Joshi, and Daniel Perez.

It mentioned that their bodies will be delivered later today.

Previously, Hamas freed all 20 remaining living hostages detained in Gaza, although it continues to keep the bodies of several deceased Israeli captives.

Nepali envoy Dhana Prasad Pandit said to the Post that an honorary consul from Nepal in Israel, Nadav Ben Yahudain, notified him that Hamas is expected to deliver Bipin’s body later on Monday.

Initially, they will transfer the deceased bodies to Israeli authorities, after which the bodies will be subjected to DNA analysis. Once the test results are confirmed, the bodies will then be given to the families of the victims. Representatives from the Red Cross are reportedly en route to take possession of the bodies of the four slain hostages.

A Nepali student named Joshi, who traveled to Israel through the Learn and Earn Program, was employed at the Alumim kibbutz alongside 16 other Nepalis when Hamas launched its attack on October 7, 2023.

Israeli officials stated on Monday that Joshi is not among those who survived.

Israeli authorities, including representatives from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), held a video conference at 7:30 am Israeli time to inform Nepali Ambassador to Israel Dhana Prasad Pandit, Joshi’s sister Pushpa, and relative Kishor Joshi.

Ambassador Pandit informed the Post that Joshi’s name was not included in the list of individuals confirmed to be alive, and mentioned that attempts to find him—or his remains if he had passed away—would continue.

IDF officials stated they would also let us know the details of Joshi’s death, as per Pandit.

Global institutions are also involved in this issue.

Looking for Bipin, his mother Padma Joshi and sister Pushpa have traveled to Israel and met with high-ranking officials. They are now in the United States, hoping to obtain his release and learn about his location.

Earlier Monday, Hamas disclosed the list of 20 captives who will be released as part of the most recent US-mediated truce agreement. Joshi’s name was not among them.

Ten Nepalese individuals lost their lives, five were injured, and one managed to escape without harm during the 2023 incident. Joshi and a Thai citizen were captured as hostages.

A group of six global specialists is responsible for handling the deceased individuals within Gaza’s tunnels, which span approximately 400 miles, according to Pandit.

During the initial stage of the proposed ‘Middle East Peace Plan’ designed to conclude the conflict that started on October 7, 2023, prisoner swaps are occurring today [Monday],” stated Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “It was anticipated that Bipin Joshi, a Nepali student involved in Israel’s Learn and Earn initiative and detained by Hamas since the aforementioned date, would also be part of the group of captives to be freed by Hamas.

“In this context, it is widely recognized that over the past two years, the Nepalese government has made all possible efforts at different levels to secure his safe release,” stated the ministry. “This morning at 7:30 am local Israeli time, the IDF held a virtual meeting that included the Nepali Ambassador to Israel, Bipin Joshi’s elder brother, mother, and sister, along with officials from Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister’s Office. During the discussion, it was confirmed that Bipin Joshi’s name was not on the list of hostages to be released today, and his current condition remains unclear,” the ministry added.

The ministry stated that it will keep issuing periodic updates on this issue until the process of freeing all living captives and delivering the remains of deceased captives held by Hamas is finalized.

Senior Nepali officials and Nepali envoys had been advocating for Joshi’s release during the last two years. Authorities had contacted high-ranking government representatives from Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, the US, and other countries, asking them to guarantee Joshi’s safe return.

On October 9, Bipin’s family shared a video provided by Israeli intelligence officials, which was filmed shortly after he was taken. In the footage, Bipin discussed his identity and the reason for his trip to Israel. His family stated that the video reinforced their conviction that Bipin is still alive.

In this scenario, Bipin’s mother, Padma, and his sister, Pushpa, also traveled to Israel and met with the President of Israel and the Speaker of the Israeli Parliament. Throughout their visit, his mother and sister engaged in talks with President Isaac Herzog and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana. During the meeting, Padma asked President Herzog to take immediate action for Bipin’s release.

Approximately a month following his capture, Bipin was spotted in a 33-second video originating from Al-Shifa Hospital in the Gaza Strip, which later became his final recorded sighting. On Monday, Israeli authorities announced that he has passed away.

(Accessory report by Bhawani Bhatta from Kanchanpur)