Israeli President Isaac Herzog met on Sunday with the family of Nepalese student Bipin Joshi, who was studying agriculture in Israel when he was abducted by Hamas terrorists during the terrorist group’s Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel.
The highly emotional meeting at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem with Joshi’s mother Padma and sister Pushpa, who had flown in to Israel for the first time, came after Israeli officials have cited “grave concerns” for Joshi’s life amid months of on-again off-again negotiations for the hostages’ release.
“Bipin came from Nepal to study agriculture so that he could go back to Nepal and do good in his own country, and develop a life for himself and for his family,” said Herzog, holding a picture of the Nepalese student. “We are screaming and calling to the international community, listen to the voice of Bipin.”
Fifty hostages are still being held in Gaza, some 20 of whom are believed to be alive.
Joshi, 23, was abducted from Kibbutz Alumim, less than 2.5 miles from the Gaza border, after he managed to pick up a grenade thrown into a shelter by Hamas terrorists and hurl it back, an eyewitness told JNS earlier this year.
“It’s too much heartbreak for me and my family,” said Bipin’s 17-year-old sister Pushpa during the meeting with the president. “I want to thank Israel from the bottom of my heart for standing with us. I thank God for giving us hope.”
Addressing a Tel Aviv rally for the hostages later in the day, she said, “My brother is a student who was caught in a war he has no side in. Is he starving, injured, alive? How can anyone survive 680 days in hell?”
On Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar also met with Bipin Joshi’s family. Sa’ar expressed Israel’s deep commitment to returning all of the hostages, including those who are not Israeli citizens.
The meeting was attended by Padma and Pushpa Joshi, Bipin’s mother and sister, as well as Nepal’s Ambassador to Israel Dhan Prasad Pandit.
Previously, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar held several talks with Nepal’s Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba to coordinate diplomatic activity on the issue
The family’s visit to Israel was organized through a joint effort by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Hostages Directorate in the Prime Minister’s Office, the Coordinator of Hostages and Missing Persons and the National Insurance Institute.
