According to the Israeli army, one of the few people seen in a CCTV video of al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza, which was made public last November, is a Nepali citizen. Bipin’s brother Kishore Joshi told BBC News Nepali that the person seen in the October 7 video is his brother.
But the authorities of Israel and Nepal have no information about Bipin Joshi’s condition in the following days.
The Israeli authorities had given some of the bases occupied by Joshi Hamas to the Nepali side at that time as well.
Outgoing ambassador Kanta Rizal, who recently returned from Israel, said that the Israeli side indicated that Joshi might still be alive in the latest conversation.
120 of the 240 people believed to have been taken hostage during the attack by Hamas entering the Israeli border area on October 7 are still believed to be hostages. It is believed that Joshi from Nepal was among those who were taken hostage when Hamas launched an unexpected attack on Israel.
Although some of the hostages were released during the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, Joshi was not released by Hamas.
What did the foreign minister say?
His family has come to Kathmandu from Kanchanpur to understand the condition of Bipin Joshi.
Bipin Joshi’s brother Kishore Joshi said that the family met with the newly appointed Foreign Minister Arju Rana Deuba on Monday and are also taking initiatives to meet Prime Minister KP Oli.
“He [Foreign Minister Arju Rana Deuba] said that he [Foreign Minister Arju Rana Deuba] said that there is still hope based on the fact that the brother has not received news yet,” Kishore Joshi said.
“He has said that efforts are being made, I will use diplomatic means from all agencies as long as possible.”
According to Joshi’s family, no one has been able to tell about the condition after being seen at Al-Shifa Hospital.
“He also has no information since October 7,” he said. Joshi said that the foreign minister had given him the answer that he had not received information from any side about the subsequent situation.
Joshi’s family also met Ambassador Kanta Rizal, who recently returned from Israel.
The hope held by the Israeli side
Outgoing ambassador Rizal, who returned from Israel with the government’s decision, said that before coming to Nepal, she had met with the Israeli officials who were coordinating the rescue.
She says that during the meeting two weeks ago, the Israeli side told her that they hoped that Joshi might be alive.
“We all know Bipin Joshi was seen in the hospital scene. That was proof that he was taken to Gaza alive. There was no evidence other than that,” Rizal told BBC News Nepali.
“While I was there, they said… that there is information that Bipin was taken out alive and in good condition from the hospital there on October 7.”
“That being said, I am very optimistic that Bipin Joshi is in a very good condition and I have full faith that he will come back one day.”
Rizal, who was recommended as the Nepalese ambassador to Australia only on Monday, said that she felt “uncomfortable” when she had to return from Israel without Vipin being freed.
‘It’s better not to get bad news’
Even after the ceasefire last November, Israel rescued some of the hostages alive, while there were reports that some of the hostages died during the rescue.
“The hostages are in different situations. Some have been found dead on October 7 and are being evacuated while others have been rescued alive,” said outgoing Ambassador Rizal.
10 Nepali students who went to the ‘Learn and Earn’ program were also killed in the attack by Hamas.
Recently, Rizal says that Israel has been taking initiatives to rescue foreign hostages by placing them in the same category as citizens of their own country.
She said that she regularly inquires about the situation of the hostages and in some cases she feels relieved even if there is no information.
“No matter how many news that the body was found, we used to say that it was good news that there was no news about Bipin,” she said.
“There is no bad news about Bipin Joshi so far, that’s why we hope he is doing well.”
Even after the Hamas attack, Bipin Joshi’s mobile phone was found to be ‘active’ for a while outside the Israeli border in the Gaza Strip, officials said.
Nepal’s initiative
Bipin Joshi’s DNA was not matched with those killed in the Hamas attack and whose bodies could not be identified in and around the agricultural firm where Bipin Joshi was located.
After his disappearance, DNA samples of his parents were taken from Nepal. DNA was compared to the bodies collected by Israeli security forces.
The Foreign Minister said on Monday that Bipin Joshi’s family and last week in the Parliament’s International Relations Committee are also taking initiatives for Bipin Joshi’s release.
The government had been taking initiatives for Joshi’s release through countries including Qatar and Egypt, which are mediating to stop the Israel-Hamas war.
Foreign Minister Rana has answered in the parliamentary committee that initiatives will be taken with the US for this. BBC
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