Tribute paid to Nepali student killed by Hamas at Tel Aviv airport before flying to Kathmandu

Kathmandu, Oct 19 (PTI) A farewell ceremony was held at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel's Tel Aviv on Sunday to pay tribute to Bipin Joshi, the Nepali student abducted and killed by Hamas militants, before his body was flown to Nepal for final rites.

“A ceremony was held, today, at Ben Gurion Airport, in Israel to honour Bipin Joshi, who was abducted and later murdered in Hamas captivity, before he is sent back home to Nepal” the Israel Embassy in Nepal said in a social media post. “May his memory be a blessing,” it added.

Earlier, until recently it was believed that Joshi was alive and kept under Hamas captivity. However, after the Hamas militants disclosed the names of 20 hostages who are alive, his name was not in the list.

Hamas launched an attack in Israel on October 2023 and killed 10 Nepalese students who were residing there under 'learn and earn' scheme.

Joshi, 23-years-old at the time, was abducted by the militants and his condition was unknown for around two years.

It was only last week that Hamas confirmed the death of Joshi and handed over his body to Israel government during a ceasefire.

At the farewell ceremony, Israeli officials, Nepali diplomats, and members of the Nepali community paid their last respects, according to Foreign Ministry sources.

The ceremony, organised jointly by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nepali Embassy, marked the final step before Joshi’s remains were sent home.

Joshi’s body will arrive in Kathmandu on Monday afternoon and will then be taken to his hometown in Kanchanpur of western Nepal for cremation, sources at the Foreign Ministry said.

Prime Minister Sushila Karki is expected to pay tribute to Joshi as soon as his body lands at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. PTI SBP GSP GSP