The family of Bipin Joshi, a Nepali Hindu student who was taken hostage by Hamas during the 7th October 2023 attack in Israel, has released a previously unseen video of him from Gaza. 

The video, which had been kept by Israeli intelligence for months, was released on Wednesday (8th October) after the government finally lifted restrictions on its publication.

According to Bipin’s family, this short clip is the only proof they have seen in two years that he might still be alive. “The sign of life found in Gaza, which we share with you today, is for us an anchor of firm faith that he is alive,” the Joshi family said in a statement.

Bipin Joshi: The only Hindu captured by Hamas in Gaza

Bipin Joshi, who was just 23 years old when he was taken hostage, had arrived in Israel only three weeks before the 7th October attack. He is the only Hindu captured by Hamas in Gaza. He was part of a group of Nepali students who went to Kibbutz Alumim under the ‘Learn and Earn’ agricultural training program. The students were learning farming techniques while working in a citrus and lemon farm.

That morning, when the Hamas terrorists attacked the kibbutz, Bipin and his friends were surrounded. Ten of his classmates were murdered, and Bipin was abducted. Before he was kidnapped, he texted some last messages to his cousin in English. One of them was, “If something happens to me, you have to take care of my family. Be strong and always look toward the future,” according to a report by the Times of Israel. 

The video finally released after two years

The released video, believed to have been filmed in November 2023, shows Bipin sitting in front of the camera. He introduces himself calmly: “My name is Bipin Joshi. I’m from Nepal. I’m 23 years old. I came to Israel 25 days ago for the ‘Learn and Earn’ program. I’m a student and I work on a citrus and lemon farm.”

At the end of the clip, Bipin looks slightly off-camera, his eyes shifting to the side, as if glancing at someone nearby. The short recording does not reveal his surroundings, but it is clear that he was alive weeks after being captured.

For his family, that small detail means everything. “When I saw the video, my mother and father were next to me. First, I thanked God that I didn’t see any injuries on his face or body. Then, my body started shaking, and I couldn’t control my tears,” said his 17-year-old sister, Pushpa, while speaking to reporters in Israel.

She said that the family had been given the video nearly a year ago, but it was hidden behind Israeli government censorship. They opted to release it now, in the hopes that it would attract more pressure for Bipin’s release and force negotiators to sit down with him and discuss the other remaining hostages.

Family continues to fight for his release

Bipin’s family has refused to give up hope. His parents and sister, who live in Nepal, are currently staying with relatives in North Carolina, United States. They have been travelling between Washington, DC, and New York, meeting diplomats and officials to raise international awareness about their son’s situation.

“We decided to release the video to show that he is in Gaza and alive, and maybe it can create a little bit of pressure on the negotiating teams to understand our pain,” Pushpa said. “It’s been two years, it’s too much pain for us and the other hostages’ families.”

Pushpa has extended her stay in the US, saying she hopes to meet President Donald Trump in person to request his help. “We are here with hopeful hearts, and we want to meet President Trump and advocate for Bipin’s safe release,” she said. “President Trump gave an ultimatum to Hamas and Israel to negotiate, so we are very thankful for that. We are totally dependent on him and really hope his steps will give us our Bipin back.”

Video was earlier censored by Israeli govt

In their official statement, the Joshi family said they wanted to remind the world that Bipin was not a soldier but a student who had nothing to do with the war. “Bipin was brutally abducted from Kibbutz Alumim while ten of his friends were murdered that same day. Young students, beautiful and innocent souls,” they said.

“For two years, it has been difficult for the world to imagine Bipin as a hostage in the tunnels. Not anymore. This sign of life found in Gaza serves as confirmation of our steadfast belief that he is alive.”

The family added that releasing the video publicly was not an easy decision. “For many months, this footage was under strict censorship. Only recently were we granted permission to release it. It is not easy for us to share it publicly, but we are in critical and historic days that will determine the fate of the 48 hostages, whether the living will return to their families and the deceased to a proper burial, or whether we will remain in pain without closure.”

Pushpa described her brother as a cheerful and creative young man with simple dreams. “My parents are devastated, barely holding on. They miss their only son. I miss my best friend, the one who dreamed of growing bananas to make banana chips. The creative and funny guy,” she said in an interview with i24 News.

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