Kathmandu, Aug 17: Nepali Ambassador to Israel, Mr. Dhan Prasad Paudel, together with the mother of hostage Bipin Joshi, Mrs. Padma Joshi, and his sister, Ms. Pushpa Joshi, paid a courtesy call on the President of Israel, Mr. Isaac Herzog, on Sunday in Tel Aviv.
On the occasion, mother Padma and sister Pushpa expressed their gratitude for being able to personally meet the President and earnestly requested him to take every possible initiative for the early release of Bipin Joshi. They appealed that Bipin had come to Israel as a student, was innocent, and should be freed from Hamas captivity at the earliest. Ms. Pushpa Joshi made an emotional plea to the President, urging immediate efforts for her brother’s release.
During the meeting, Ambassador Paudel also reiterated Nepal’s special request, asking the Israeli side to provide updated information about Bipin’s condition and to continue all possible diplomatic efforts for his release, the embassy in Tel Aviv said in a statement.
Earlier today, the Joshi family and Ambassador Paudel held meetings with various senior Israeli officials in Jerusalem. They also met with the Speaker of the Israeli Parliament (Knesset), Mr. Amir Ohana, urging him to strongly push for Bipin’s release from Hamas captivity.
In response, President Herzog noted that it is well-known that Bipin Joshi, a Nepali student, was taken hostage by Hamas during the sudden October 7, 2023 attack in Gaza. He stated that Israel considers Bipin as if he were its own citizen, given the warm and friendly ties between Nepal and Israel, and emphasized that both he and his government are constantly working for his release.
President Herzog added that, while Israel is making all-out efforts, parallel initiatives by the Government of Nepal through Arab countries could further strengthen the chances of his release and bring clarity about his condition.
Similarly, Speaker of the Knesset Mr. Amir Ohana expressed his deep concern about Bipin Joshi’s situation, assuring that Israel is actively engaged in efforts for his release along with other hostages. He highlighted that the case of Bipin Joshi has further strengthened Nepal-Israel relations on the basis of mutual friendship and solidarity. He also recalled that the issue had been discussed during his recent meeting with his Nepali counterpart in Geneva, stressing that both governments are making continuous efforts for Bipin’s release.
Bipin’s mother and sister have flown to Israel to push forward the safe release of Bipin Joshi who was kidnapped by Hamas militant group on October 7, 2023 from southern Israel. He was a student of agriculture from western Nepal and went Israel for further studies after receiving Israli scholarship. #nepal #bipin #hamas #isarel
