A Hero's Sacrifice: Bipin Joshi Saves Friend from Hamas Grenade Attack

Wed Oct 15 2025 02:27:17 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

In a gripping account of bravery, Dhan Bahadur Chaudhary narrates how his friend Bipin Joshi threw back a grenade during a deadly Hamas attack, ultimately saving his life.

Bipin Joshi's heroic act during a Hamas attack saved his friend Dhan Bahadur Chaudhary's life as they were held hostage in Israel in October 2023. Tragically, Bipin later lost his life, prompting a wave of grief in Nepal as his family navigates their profound loss amid ongoing violence.

Bipin Joshi threw back a grenade from Hamas attackers before being taken hostage in the assault on Israel two years ago, says fellow Nepalese student Dhan Bahadur Chaudhary. I may not have survived if both grenades had exploded. Bipin showed courage and threw the grenade out, he told BBC Nepali.

The Israeli military identified his friend's body among four dead hostages returned by Hamas under a Gaza ceasefire accord. At just 23, Bipin was working on a kibbutz when he was captured along with 250 others on October 7, 2023. The exact details of his death remain uncertain.

Dhan Bahadur recounted how he and Bipin, along with 15 other Nepalese agriculture students, were in Israel for three weeks when Kibbutz Alumim was attacked. We thought there could be missile attacks, but we had no idea of such a ground assault, he said. They had aimed to make better lives for themselves through the Israeli government's 'Earn and Learn Programme'.

Bipin's act of bravery, picking up one grenade and throwing it outside, was crucial as one grenade exploded inside the bunker, injuring Dhan Bahadur and four others. Ten Nepalese students were killed, and Bipin was the only one captured.

We met for the last time when he was being shifted to another bunker. After I was injured, I couldn't move, and Bipin was taken from there, Dhan Bahadur reflected on their last moments together.

The news of Bipin's death devastated Nepal, and his family and friends held onto hope until the release deadline on October 13. Bipin’s cousin, Kishore Joshi, shared the family's profound grief and sadness. Meanwhile, the Israeli military stated that it believed Bipin was “murdered in captivity during the first months of the war,” a claim that remains unverified.

Dhan Bahadur noted that Bipin was an ambitious young man with dreams of starting a business and wanted the best for his family back in Nepal. He reminisced about Bipin’s love for sports and music, illustrating their deep friendship.

Even in grief, Dhan Bahadur and his surviving classmates vowed to honor Bipin's memory and support his family. They plan to visit them in Kanchanpur district, carrying forward the legacy of their friend's bravery while coping with the loss of an inspiring figure.