Return of the bodies of deceased Nepalis delayed

KATHMANDU, Oct 13: A total of 254 Nepali nationals who were stranded in Israel due to the recent conflict have safely returned home. They arrived on Friday morning via a Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) wide-body aircraft.

The Government of Nepal decided to rescue the stranded citizens due to the escalating conflict in Israel, initiated by Hamas on October 7 coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War. Tragically, 10 Nepali nationals lost their lives during the unrest, and 17 others were attacked in the area known as Kibbutz Alumim in southern Israel, near the Gaza Strip.

Following a public outcry regarding the delay in rescuing Nepali citizens from Israel, a delegation led by Foreign Minister NP Saud was dispatched to Israel on Thursday. Minister Saud spoke with the media at Tribhuvan International Airport after the successful rescue flight, revealing that 254 of the 503 Nepalis who had sought to return to Nepal from Israel have been evacuated, with plans to bring back the remaining individuals soon.

"Initially, 557 Nepalis provided their details in response to the Embassy of Nepal's request in Tel Aviv for those wishing to relocate to safer areas and to return to Nepal. Out of this group, 503 applied to return to Nepal. Among them, 254 returned home today (Friday)," said Foreign Affairs Minister Saud.

In addition, 54 Nepali citizens who had requested to be relocated from risky areas have been safely moved to a secure zone in Israel. Four Nepali individuals were injured in the Hamas attack in southern Israel, with one of them having returned to Nepal after receiving treatment, one discharged from the hospital, and two others still undergoing treatment in Israel. A search operation is ongoing for Bipin Joshi, who remains missing following the attack.

Minister Saud acknowledged that the process of repatriating the bodies of the Nepalis who lost their lives in Israel would be delayed due to the ongoing conflict. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained that the bodies will only be transported after completing necessary post-mortem procedures and adhering to various protocols required by the Israeli government. Minister Saud emphasized that not only Nepalis but individuals from other countries have also lost their lives in Israel, thus requiring time to complete all the necessary procedures before repatriation of the bodies.

Sewa Lamsal, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reiterated the need for patience during these procedures and assured that the families of the deceased would be promptly informed of any developments.

Earlier in the week, Minister NP Saud had a telephone conversation with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Israel, Eli Cohen, expressing Nepal's solidarity with Israel during these challenging times. He also requested Israel's assistance in repatriating the bodies of the deceased Nepalis, and to ensure safety, security, and relocation of Nepali nationals to safer areas, as well as facilitating the return of those who wish to return home.

In response, the Foreign Minister of Israel expressed gratitude to the Government of Nepal for its solidarity and pledged full support for the swift repatriation of the bodies and the return of Nepali citizens.

The government shared that 4,500 Nepalis work as caregivers in Israel, with an additional 265 Nepali students enrolled in the 'Learn and Earn' program sponsored by the Israeli government. Furthermore, the government has authorized Nepal's Embassy in Israel to hire a person fluent in the local Hebrew language for the next three months to assist in the evacuation process of Nepali citizens in Israel.

The government has also decided to establish a temporary transit home through the Nepali Embassy in Israel, which will provide shelter to Nepalis before they are airlifted from risky areas in Israel and returned to their home country.

The government is taking rigorous measures to rescue Nepali citizens with the support of the Government of Israel and neighboring countries. They have requested all concerned Nepalis to submit their details to the Nepali Embassy in Israel, which is then responsible for immediately forwarding this information to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In a gesture of support to the families of those killed in the recent Hamas Group attack in Palestine, the government has decided to provide each family with Rs 1 million. Government records indicate that a total of 10 Nepali nationals lost their lives in the recent conflict.

 
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