Nepal on Thursday welcomed the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, urging the release of all hostages, including the lone Nepali held in Gaza.

"We call for the immediate release of all hostages, including Nepali national Bipin Joshi," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

"We urge all parties concerned to implement the plan in its true spirit, to ensure the smooth flow of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza, and to pave the way for lasting peace."

Joshi, an agriculture student who was 22 when kidnapped, had arrived in Israel just weeks before the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, during which Palestinian militants took 251 hostages to Gaza.

He was taken from a kibbutz in southern Israel, where 10 Nepali nationals were killed.

Joshi was reported to have saved his friend

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