Our Comrade Bipin Threw Back Hamas Explosive Device – And Preserved My Life

Placeholder Dhan Bahadur and Bipin The Survivor
Dhan Bahadur (left) and Bipin, photographed during their bachelor level college years at Far Western University in Nepal

The courageous student threw back a grenade from Hamas attackers before being taken hostage in the assault on Israel in the recent conflict, says the fellow Nepalese student he protected.

"I may not have survived if the two grenades had exploded. Bipin exhibited courage and hurled the device away," the survivor shared with media outlets.

He was commenting after the defense forces identified his friend's body as being among four deceased captives returned by Hamas under the Gaza ceasefire accord.

Bipin was twenty-three and working on a kibbutz when he was seized by Hamas into imprisonment along with 250 others on 7 October 2023. It's unknown how or when he passed away.

His loved ones prayed right up to the negotiation cutoff that he could be among living hostages released on 13 October, but he was not, and a subsequent day their deepest concerns were confirmed.

Assault Details

The student, his friend and fifteen other Nepalese farming students had been in Israel for just over three weeks when their residence was attacked.

"The students knew that there may be a war in Israel. But we had no idea that there may be any ground attack of that scale," Dhan Bahadur said. "We thought that there could be missile attacks and we would be protected if we stay below ground, in the shelters."

For the students who'd been invited under the Israeli government's "educational initiative" it was a significant chance to improve circumstances for themselves and their loved ones in Nepal.

Dhan Bahadur attributes his safety to his friend's heroic actions.

"At the time of attack, two grenades were thrown near the bunkers. My friend picked up one and hurled it outside; one exploded inside. Due to that explosion, myself and several companions were wounded," he recalls.

"Bipin was safe at that point. If the two grenades had detonated, I would not have been talking with you today."

10 of the Nepalese students were killed in the attack. Their companion was the only one captured.

"The friends saw each other for the last time when Bipin and fellow students were being moved to a different shelter," Dhan Bahadur says. "Because, after the wounding, I and remained stayed in the initial shelter. I discovered that there were two attacks in the shelter where he took shelter and was was held captive from there."

Placeholder Students in bunker From Dhan Bahadur Chaudhary
Many of the students can be seen in this selfie within the shelter 30 minutes before the attack, taken by one of those killed

Personal Memories

The survivor says he feels profound grief after hearing about his colleague's passing. He and his companion studied together in their educational institution in their hometown, Nepal.

"His friends made every efforts from our perspective to secure his release. They did everything. But yesterday, we had to confront such shocking information. The entire nation is in grief. Personally do not know what to say. Truly have limited expression to describe my sorrow."

The survivor says Bipin and other colleagues had the same aspiration of making little earnings and starting their personal enterprise after coming back from the educational opportunity in Israel.

"Bipin loved participating in football and basketball. The friends would converse for hours about our ambitions and aspirations. My friend desired to achieve his physique in good shape and to purchase a new mobile phone. We even recorded a song about companionship with my device. He also talked about presenting himself in a visual production."

Placeholder Friends at kibbutz The Survivor
Bipin and Dhan Bahadur with Israeli friends, in a last photograph at the community basketball court

Recent Developments

On the specified date, the Israeli military said they believed Bipin Joshi was "murdered in detention during the initial period of the conflict". There exists no method of independently confirming that.

But should this be the situation, the survivor said, the global authorities should ask Hamas about why it happened.

He said he had not received any assistance from national authorities following his wounding but wished the host nation would assist Bipin's relatives.

Bipin's close relatives have withheld any statement to date.

Footage from 7 October showed him walking inside al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City. The family received no indication of survival for a twelve months, until the authorities shared a recording of him in detention around November 2023.

Family members described the footage as "proof of life" just hours before the ceasefire deal was finalized, and were hoping for a miracle.

Now in his native place of Bhimdutta municipality Bipin's family are mourning after receiving news of his passing.

Placeholder Hostage return Official Source
The bodies of the student and other captive another individual were handed over by Hamas in Gaza on the specified day

Family Situation

His mother and sister had traveled to the US to advocate for the release of hostages, the student's relative family member told news sources.

He states the family has limited expression to describe the sorrow. "His mother and sister are returning from US on the specified day. The father is not in the condition to articulate the suffering in words."

At the same time it's unclear when Bipin's body will be returned to his relatives.

The nation is making all necessary preparations to repatriate his remains to Nepal, as it completed for the remaining students who perished, Nepal's ministry of foreign affairs announced.

"We are all shocked by the news of the student's demise. In this period of grief [we] offer our {deep|pro

Kimberly Smith
Kimberly Smith

A technology strategist with over a decade of experience in IT consulting and digital transformation projects across Europe and Asia.