In first, sister of Nepali hostage addresses Hostages Square: ‘Prayers are not enough’

Pushpa Joshi, the sister of the Nepali hostage Bipin Joshi, speaks at a demonstration in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square.

Bipin Joshi, an agriculture student, was taken captive from Kibbutz Alumim by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023.

A number of protesters in the crowd wave Nepali flags in solidarity with Pushpa and her mother, Padma, who arrived in Israel last week for the first time.

“My brother is a student who was caught in a war he has no side in. It took us 22 months to find the strength to come here,” says the captive’s 17-year-old sister.

“We were isolated in Nepal, separated by language, culture, and fear. We focused on prayers for him, but prayers are not enough,” she says.

Joshi hints that the recent videos of hostages Rom Braslavski and Evyatar David, where the two Hamas hostages appeared emaciated and in dire health, acted as an impetus for their visit.

She adds that the footage “shattered us. My mom and dad are devastated, barely holding on.”

“Almost two years without a sign of life. Is he starving? Wounded? Alive?” she asks, struggling to speak through tears.

In Nepali, Joshi addresses her brother: “I miss you so much, brother. Don’t lose hope, be strong, stay alive.”