The body of Nepali student Bipin Joshi, who was killed in Israel during the early months of the Gaza War, will be brought to Kathmandu on Monday.

Joshi, 24, was abducted by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and his body was handed over to Israel on September 13 this year.

Joshi’s body is scheduled to arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport at 2:35 pm via flydubai. Prime Minister Sushila Karki will pay tribute upon arrival, according to the prime minister’s office. After that, the body will be flown to Dhangadhi by the Nepali Army aircraft and then transported to Joshi’s hometown, Mahendranagar, by an ambulance.

Joshi had been working at Kibbutz Alumim under Israel’s Learn and Earn Programme with 16 other Nepali students when the attack occurred. Other ten Nepalis were killed, five were injured, and one escaped unharmed. His name was missing from the list of hostages freed earlier under a US-brokered ceasefire. Israeli officials confirmed his death on October 13, 738 days after his abduction.

Successive Nepali governments had engaged with officials from Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, and the US to secure his release. Joshi’s family, who travelled to Israel and the US seeking his release, returned to Nepal last week.