One year after the 7 October attack by Hamas terrorists, the families of the victims of Hamas terrorism all over the world, including Nepal, are living in pain and agony.

In the dark days of October 7 attack = on Israel and the ensuing military assault on Gaza, some dared hope the carnage could, in some way, become a catalyst for peace.

The situation of hostage families, who have been waiting to see their loved ones reunited as a family, is losing hope as the international community has failed to press Hamas terrorists and their backers, leaving the search and rescue of innocent hostages as a lonely struggle of Israel.

Even after a year, hope for peace and release of hostages is still far away. Israelis remain enraged and deeply shaken, with families of Hamas’ remaining hostages suffering of not knowing if their loved ones are even alive.

Although many countries, including Nepal, the country that lost 10 young students pursuing higher education in Israel, have condemned the attack by Hamas terrorists, they are unable to maintain consistent pressure on Hamas and its backers.

With no alternative but to dismantle the infrastructures of terrorist organisations in Gaza and elsewhere in order to survive as a nation and protect its citizens, Israel has launched a military operation. Instead of pressuring Hamas to release the hostages, many countries began to criticise Israel's move. This inspired Hamas to kill more hostages in captivity.

7 October commemoration

Like countries in different parts of the world, Nepal also organised a programme to commemorate the 7 October terrorist attack by Hamas and to remember those, including 10 Nepalese, who were killed on that day. Despite being a party to the terrorist attack, Nepal's official response remained poor. A commemoration of the 7 October Hamas massacre was held in Kathmandu.

Former Foreign Minister and Member of Parliament NP Saud attended the programme. He urged the international community to put pressure on Hamas to release all the hostages, including Bipin Joshi.

Minister Saud recalled the horrendous terrorist act of Hamas and condemned Hamas for killing innocent people including 10 Nepalese. He said Nepal has always supported Israel's right to peaceful existence.

One year on, the condition of Bipin Joshi, who has not been heard from for a year, is still unknown. Joshi's family has been travelling here and there, meeting prime ministers, ministers and top officials, but nothing has come of it. Since the Nepalese government's official position is not to put pressure on nations that support Hamas terrorists, Bipin Joshi's case is nothing more than a ritual.

It has been a year since Bipin Joshi, a native of Bhimdatta Municipality-3 in Kanchanpur, went missing during the Hamas attack in Israel last year. Even after a year, his condition is still unknown.

Bipin, who is in the eighth semester of his Bachelor's degree in the Faculty of Agriculture at Sudurpaschim University, was captured by the Hamas group when he came to Israel as part of the Learn to Earn programme.

Last year, 10 students from Sudurpaschim University were killed in an attack by the Hamas group on 7 October, and Joshi was left without contact.

Although the Nepalese embassy in Israel and the Nepalese government have taken initiatives to search for him, Joshi's condition has not been ascertained. His brother, Kishore Joshi, said that his family had been driven mad by the lack of news about his brother's condition.

"We have repeatedly requested the minister and the chief minister to find out my brother's condition, but there has been no progress so far," he said.

The people of Kanchanpur recently submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister through the Chief District Officer with the Students of Nepal requesting him to expedite the investigation into Bipin.

The central member of the association, Indra Saud, said that as his family was waiting for Bipin, he submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister through the Chief District Officer, Narayan Prasad Sapkota, to search for him as soon as possible.

After understanding the memorandum, Chief District Officer Sapkota informed that the memorandum will be sent to the Prime Minister's Office as soon as possible.

On behalf of the Government of Israel, Israel's Ambassador to Nepal, Hanan Goder, who is returning after completing her tour of duty in Nepal, has been personally making all our efforts and consoling the families of Nepal.

“On the seventh of October, 17 Nepali students were stationed in Kibbutz Alumim in Israel. 17 graduates of agriculture from Sudurpaschim University that joined the “Learn and Earn” program in Israel. At 06:30 in the morning, when rockets and sirens started, they rushed into the shelter. We did not expect that the terrorists will invade and come to murder them. 10 were murdered. Only six survived. Out of the six survivors four are in Israel studying and working. And the last one is still missing, Bipin Joshi, a hero who managed to save his friends by throwing the terrorist grenade away. He is still held in Gaza. Why? What for? This is the logic of terror that we are facing. When I say we, I mean Nepal and Israel and all democratic countries that share the values of tolerance and freedom, of Democracy and respect to someone that is different than ourselves,” said Ambassador Goder in his statement in a program.

“Dear Nepali families, victims of Hamas attack: Your children came to Israel as our guests, after the seventh of October you became part of the Israeli family. In Nepal and in Israel, we will continue to take care of you because; family ties are the most important.”

The time has come for Nepal to make every effort to release the hostages, including Bipin Joshi, and take a firm stand against all forms of terrorism and terrorist acts, including Hamas.