Kathmandu: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal has continued its efforts to secure release of Bipin Joshi, Nepali youth from Kanchanpur district who was abducted by Hamas in October, 2023. Joshi’s whereabouts remain unknown more than a year after the war, while his family members back home and the government continue to appeal to the concerned authorities for his release.
On Monday, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Dr Arzu Rana Deuba spoke to Dr Badr Abdel-Ati, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Egyptian Expatriates Affairs of Egypt on the phone asking the latter to facilitate the release of Joshi. “We discussed the successful role played by Egypt for the ceasefire in Gaza. His Excellency Dr. Badr Abdel-Ati said he will give specific instructions to his negotiators in Gaza to prioritize the release of Mr. Bipin Joshi,” Deuba wrote on X. Egypt was one of the mediators of the ceasefire deal.
Foreign Minister Deuba had also spoken to Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel requesting the latter to secure the release of Bipin Joshi on January 14.
Joshi was held captive by Hamas since 7 October 2023. Israeli ambassador to Nepal Shmulik Arie Bass had said in December, 2024, that Joshi is alive. When on Sunday, Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire and hostage release deal, it had kindled hope for release of Bipin Joshi.
Bipin Joshi does not feature in the list of hostages to be released in the initial phase of the Israeli-Hamas ceasefire agreement, raising concerns in Nepal about the fate of the youth whose whereabouts are unknown since October, 2023.
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