Kathmandu, Aug 9: Israel plans to bring the mother and sister of Nepali hostage Bipin Joshi to the United Nations in a bid to step up pressure on Hamas.

Joshi, who was in Israel under the ‘Learn and Earn’ program, was abducted during Hamas’ October 7, 2023 assault, which killed 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage, including 10 Nepali students who were killed.

Israel’s foreign ministry has completed travel documents for Padma and Pushpa Joshi and is arranging their arrival in Israel before their UN appearance, with possible meetings with the US President to raise diplomatic support. Officials say only about 20 of the 50 remaining hostages are believed to be alive, though details remain uncertain.

Nepal’s envoy to Israel says Joshi’s whereabouts and condition are still unknown, with no word from Hamas. Nepal has sought Qatar’s mediation repeatedly, but without progress. Joshi’s family has made multiple appeals to Nepali and Israeli leaders.

The war has devastated Gaza, with Israeli strikes killing more than 60,000 people, including 18,500 children, according to the BBC. Over 150,000 have been injured since the conflict began.

People’s News Monitoring Service