A memorial service took place at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Sunday to honor Bipin Joshi, a Nepali student who was abducted and killed by Hamas militants. The ceremony was held before Joshi’s body was repatriated to Nepal for the final funeral rites. The Israeli Embassy in Nepal shared on social media that the event paid tribute to Joshi, expressing condolences and wishing for his memory to be a blessing.
Initially, there were hopes that Joshi was alive and held captive by Hamas, but after the militants revealed a list of 20 surviving hostages, Joshi’s name was not included. In October 2023, Hamas carried out an attack in Israel that resulted in the deaths of 10 Nepalese students participating in the ‘learn and earn’ program. Joshi, aged 23 when he was taken, remained missing for about two years until Hamas confirmed his death and handed over his body to the Israeli government during a period of ceasefire.
During the farewell ceremony, Israeli officials, Nepali diplomats, and members of the local Nepali community paid their respects to Joshi, marking an important moment organized jointly by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nepali Embassy. This event served as the final tribute before Joshi’s remains were repatriated to Nepal.
Joshi’s body is set to arrive in Kathmandu on Monday afternoon and will then be transported to his hometown in Kanchanpur, western Nepal, for cremation. Prime Minister Sushila Karki is expected to be present at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu to pay her respects to Joshi upon the arrival of his body.
This marks the conclusion of the ceremony and the preparations for Joshi’s final journey home.