The Israeli government has claimed that Bipin Joshi, a Nepali student missing in Israel since the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched armed attacks on Israel on October 7, has been held hostage by the Hamas militants.

The Office of the Prime Minister of Israel mentioned that Joshi was among 122 foreign nationals in Hamas’ captivity. However, they have yet to ascertain Joshi’s exact location.

“We clarify that a Nepali citizen is among the captives held hostage by Hamas,” Eylon Levy, spokesperson for the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, told the Post.

The surprise attack last month left 10 Nepali students, who had reached the West Asian country under a ‘Learn and Earn Programme’, dead and four others injured.

Joshi is one of the 17 Nepali students who were living at Kibbutz Alumim in southern Israel, close to the Gaza Strip, and came under attack from the Islamist group that rules the strip, according to the foreign ministry.

Thai nationals are highest in number of those held hostage by the Palestinian militant group. They were also working in Kibbutz Alumim when the incident took place. Hamas has held 24 Thai nationals, 21 Argentines, 18 Germans, 10 Americans, seven French, seven Russians, four Hungarians, three each from Poland and Portugal, two each from China, Philippines, Romania, Tanzania, and the UK, and one citizen each from Austria, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Lithuania, Mexico, the Netherlands, Serbia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Ukraine, and Uruguay. A total of 118 more Israeli civilians have also been held hostage.

Previously, Hamas had released five people from captivity. Two American nationals were set free on October 20, and two more Israeli elderly were released on October 23. An Israeli army personnel was also released on October 29.

According to Levy, the Israeli government is in hopes of international support to free the hostages without any demands.

“One of the objectives of the military’s current ground operations in Gaza is to free the hostages,” Levy said. “We are hoping for support from the international community.”

Meanwhile, Hamas has demanded that all Palestinian prisoners incarcerated in Israel be released.

Published on: 3 November 2023 | The Kathmandu Post