INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 11A Nepal Airlines aircraft is flying to Israel at 11:00pm today to bring home the bodies of
Nepalis, who were killed in the conflict there.
Nepal Airlines plane to bring mortal remains of Nepalis from Israel
Efforts on to bring back mortal remains of Nepalis
According to Deepak Joshi, personal aide to Minister of Foreign Affairs Narayan
Prasad Saud, the national flag-carrier will fly to Israel via Dubai to bring the bodies back home
A total of 10 Nepali students who had been to Israel under the 'Learn and Earn' programme were killed in an attack on the Kibbutz Alumim in
the southern area of Israel.The government has also said that a charter plane of Nepal Airlines will be flying tonight to bring citizens who
want to return to Nepal from Israel or else they can also return on the limited regular flights.
In a press conference held
at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sewa Lamsal said, "To bring back Nepali people who
want to return to Nepal, a 250-seater Nepal Airlines plane is flying from Kathmandu to Tel Aviv tonight."She further said, "Most Nepalis who
want to come to Nepal are those who have gone there through the 'Learn and Earn' programme
So, they will be given priority."She said efforts were being made to bring the bodies of 10 Nepalis, who died in Israel in the attack of the
Palestinian militant group Hamas, to Nepal
"Now the bodies are under the protection of the Israeli government.As soon as the Israeli authorities hand over the bodies, we are going to
use all our strength to bring the bodies back," she said."Students are the first priority of the government as labourers who went as
caregivers are living as members of Israeli families they are at low risk, the safety of the students is the first priority."The embassy
staff are working in bunkers and we are using all our strength to bring our citizens safely, according to the ministry
Similarly, Joint Secretary of the Ministry Sharadraj Aran said, "There are regular Turkish and Air Arabia flights from Tel Aviv
Hence, those who want to return will be sent to the airport making it easier for them to get tickets." He further said, "Those who are in
trouble will be brought back by limited commercial flights and charter flights."According to the ministry, the number of students and
labourers working in various sectors in Israel is around 4,500
"In the first rescue flight, those students who were kept in one place from the danger zone will be brought and if possible, others will
also be taken on board," said Spokesperson Lamsal
A total of 4,500 people are working in various fields and 265 students are studying in Israel
Of the 265 students, 121 from the University of Agriculture, 27 from TU and 49 from Sudurpaschim University had gone to Israel, according to
Spokesperson Lamsal.Similarly, a search operation for Bipin Joshi, the missing Nepali in the incident, is under way
The Nepali Embassy in Israel stated that they had been searching for Joshi in various hospitals through a student who was living with Bipin
and was rescued safely after the attack.The Nepali diplomatic mission in Israel today informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that Bipin
was not found during the search operation in various hospitals and that they had sought assistance from Israel for the same.A version of
this article appears in the print on October 12, 2023, of The Himalayan Times
This article first appeared/also appeared in https://thehimalayantimes.com
