Hamas on Saturday released what it called a farewell photo showing 48 hostages, including Nepali student Bipin Joshi, who have been in its captivity since October 7, 2023.

Al Jazeera reported that Hamas’s Qassam Brigades posted a compilation photo online on Saturday, showing the faces of all living and deceased captives, with each of them captioned “Ron Arad” in reference to the Israeli air force captain who went missing in Lebanon in 1986.

Joshi was among the people taken hostage from Alumim kibbutz, where he had gone under Israel’s Learn and Earn Programme. Ten other Nepali students were killed in the October 7 Hamas assault, in which 251 hostages were held.

Over the past years, some captives have been freed in exchanges with Palestinian prisoners, while eight were rescued alive by Israeli forces. Bipin and others are still believed to be in Hamas’ captivity.

The group said it released the photos as Israeli bombardments in Gaza intensified, claiming captives’ lives were under threat and that some had already been killed in airstrikes. Israel has escalated operations in Gaza, vowing to secure control within eight months.

Israel’s ambassador to Nepal Shmulik Arie Bass dismissed Hamas’s move as ‘psychological warfare,’ saying, “Hamas claims the hostages’ whereabouts are unknown due to Israeli operations, but in fact, this is a mind game.”