Ambassador of Egypt to Nepal, Ms. Noha Hamdy Ahmed ElGebaly paid a courtesy call on Foreign Minister Dr Arzu Rana Deuba on Friday.
In the courtesy meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Singha Durbar this afternoon, Minister Rana and Ambassador Noha Hamdy dwelt on various issues of bilateral relations between Nepal and Egypt, primarily focusing on the immediate release of Mr Bipin Joshi.
"The conversation dwelt on various issues of bilateral relations between Nepal and Egypt while primarily focusing on the liaison of the Government of Egypt for the immediate release of Mr. Bipin Joshi," Minister Rana mentioned on X following the meeting.
Nepali student Joshi has been taken captive by Hamas since 7 October 2023.
The Israeli Ambassador to Nepal, Shmulik Arie Bass, has recently claimed that Joshi is alive in the Gaza Strip, rekindling the dampened hope of his family members.
During a press meet organized in Kathmandu few week ago, Ambassador Arie Bass claimed to have received information from sources in the Arab country that Nepali student Bipin Joshi is alive.
As many as 49 students studying in the final year of the Faculty of Agriculture Science at Far Western University had reached Israel under the ‘Learning and Earning’ program. Out of them, 10 Nepali students lost their lives in an attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on October 7, 2023.
On the same day, Bipin was said to have been taken hostage by Hamas from Israel’s Kibbutz Alumim and taken to the Gaza Strip. Out of 251 people, who were taken hostage and whisked to the Gaza Strip, 105 have been released between the two ceasefires. Eight people were rescued by the Israeli army. So far, the bodies of 34 of the hostages have been found in the Gaza Strip.
Ambassador Bass said that 96 people, including Bipin, are still under Hamas control and efforts are being made to release them. Joshi of Kanchanpur has been missing for the last 15 months since the attack by the Hamas armed group in Israel in October, 2023.
Besides, matters related to the promotion of trade and economic partnership between the two countries were also discussed in today's courtesy meeting.
Similarly, Minister Rana also held a meeting with the Non-resident Ambassador of Ireland to Nepal, Mr Kevin Kelly this afternoon. The two leaders discussed issues related to Nepal-Ireland relations during the meeting.
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