Family of Nepali hostage in Gaza clings to hope as video of him emerges

Bipin Joshi was abducted from a kibbutz in southern Israel during Hamas' attack that triggered the Gaza war. Photo / Getty Images

The sister of a Nepali man held hostage in Gaza has said she still hoped he was alive, as the family released a video showing him in captivity nearly two years ago.

The short clip of Bipin Joshi, recovered by the Israeli military, shows him introducing himself in English and is believed to have been filmed in November 2023.

It is the only sign of life received since October 7, 2023, when he was abducted from a kibbutz in southern Israel during Hamas’ attack that triggered the Gaza war.

The video’s release comes as the Islamist movement and Israel hold indirect talks aimed at ending the conflict and securing the release of remaining hostages.

Joshi’s teenage sister Pushpa said the family first saw the footage about a year ago and hoped its publication now would “create a little bit of pressure on [the negotiators], that they will be able to understand our feelings, our pain”.

“It’s too much for me, my family, and for other hostages’ families and other hostages who are still in Gaza,” she told journalists on a video call.

Joshi, an agriculture student who was 22 when kidnapped, had arrived in Israel to work on a farm in kibbutz Alumim just weeks before the Hamas attack.

Pushpa said her family “thanked God that we didn’t see any injury on his face and over his body” when they first viewed the video.

“While seeing that video, my whole body was shaking, and I [couldn’t] control my tears,” she said.

‘Waiting for good news’

The family has received no further sign of life from him, but Pushpa said they continue to hope.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not mention Joshi when he read out at the UN in September the names of 20 hostages still believed alive.

The Israeli Army has not said whether Joshi is among the hostages still alive.

“It’s my humble request to every group who are in the negotiation table right now, please don’t go back ... try to understand the pain of the hostages and the hostages’ families and take good action for their safe release,” Pushpa said.

The 18-year-old, who is currently in the United States to campaign for her brother, said she hoped to meet President Donald Trump and thanked his efforts to push for a ceasefire.

“Your action gives us hope and we totally depend on you and we are waiting for good news,” she said.

Both warring sides have responded positively to Trump’s 20-point plan, which calls for a ceasefire, the release of all the hostages held in Gaza, Hamas’ disarmament and a gradual Israeli withdrawal from the territory.

During Hamas’ October 2023 attack, militants took 251 hostages into Gaza, of whom 47 remain captive, including 25 the Israeli military says are dead.

- Agence France-Presse