When 23-year-old Bipin Joshi left his small hometown in Nepal in September 2023, it was the start of a dream. He had been selected for Israel’s ‘Learn and Earn’ agricultural training programme.

For Bipin, it was an opportunity to work and study at Kibbutz Alumim, near the Gaza border. It was his first time leaving Nepal. But within weeks, that dream turned into tragedy.

Bipin Joshi hostage

On October 7, 2023, Hamas militants launched a massive assault on southern Israel. Bipin and other Nepali students were working on a citrus farm when gunfire and explosions erupted. Ten of them were killed, five injured and two, including Bipin, were taken hostage.

When Hamas attackers threw grenades into the students’ shelter, Bipin acted without hesitation. He grabbed one grenade and hurled it back

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