Nepali student Bipin Joshi. Photo: Dahlia Kurtz/X
A Nepali student, who was held in captivity by Hamas, has now been confirmed dead, on a day when the group released 20 living Israeli hostages on Monday as part of the new ceasefire deal reached with Israel.
The Nepali national was identified as Bipin Joshi.
It was widely expected that Joshi was alive, but his name was not on the list Hamas handed over the captives on Monday.
According to reports, his body will be handed over to Israel.
Nepali ambassador Dhana Prasad Pandit told The Kathmandu Post that an honorary consul representing Nepal in Israel, Nadav Ben Yahudain informed him that Hamas is likely to hand over the dead body of Bipin later on Monday.
Pandit told the newspaper that the bodies will undergo DNA test after being handed over to Israeli authorities.
After undergoing the DNA test, the bodies will be handed over to family members.
Who was Bipin Joshi?
Joshi went to Israel to study under the Learn and Earn Programme.
He was reportedly working with the Alumim kibbutz, close to the Gaza border, with 16 other Nepalis when Hamas attacked on October 7, 2023.
More than two years after the deadly October 7, 2023 attacks, Hamas on Monday released all remaining living hostages under a ceasefire agreement reached recently with Israel, officials confirmed.
After initially freeing seven hostages earlier in the day, Hamas released the remaining 13 later on Monday, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
The hostages were first transferred to Israeli forces in Gaza before being reunited with their families.
Hamas had seized 251 people during the initial attack, but Monday’s releases mean the group is no longer holding any living hostages.