KATHMANDU, Oct 10: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that all Nepali students who are in Israel have been relocated to secure locations. The ministry is maintaining continuous contact with the embassy team and is actively preparing to charter a flight to bring these students back home to Nepal once Israel grants permission for air travel.
Sewa Lamsal, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated, "With the assistance of the Israeli army, we have successfully moved nearly all the students to safe areas. As per the information available to me, over 50 students were safely transferred by nightfall."
Lamsal urged students and their parents not to panic, assuring them that the primary crisis has been averted, and the Israeli authorities have taken control of the situation in their region. She further emphasized, "Everyone is safe. We kindly request your patience for a few more days. The government is committed to rescuing everyone in a safe and timely manner. Our teams have been working tirelessly throughout the night, including our embassy staff inside the bunkers."
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In response to the ongoing crisis in Israel, the Nepali government has granted approval for the Nepali Embassy in Israel to employ local individuals proficient in Hebrew for a maximum of three months. This arrangement will aid in the rescue and repatriation efforts by enabling effective communication with local residents, authorities, and staff, as well as facilitating an understanding of the legal processes in Israel. The approved candidates will be proficient in English and Hebrew.
Tragically, last Saturday, 10 Nepali students lost their lives during an indiscriminate attack by the Palestinian extremist group Hamas on Israel. One person remains out of contact, and four individuals sustained injuries. The injured are receiving treatment with the assistance of the Israeli army, and search efforts are ongoing to locate those who have not yet been reached. Some Nepali citizens were able to survive the attack by taking refuge in bunkers.
A list of 32 Nepali students who were relocated to safety has been made public, and the Prime Minister's Secretariat released a video showing the Tribhuvan University student team being escorted to safety.
These students had traveled to Israel through government-to-government agreements with universities, combining agricultural work with their studies. While the government possesses the details of these students, information is lacking about those who arrived in Israel through other means. Therefore, aside from the students, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not have information about the number of Nepalis in Israel or their current situation. It is estimated that approximately 4,500 Nepali citizens reside in Israel.
The Nepali Embassy in Israel continues to facilitate online registration for those willing to return to Nepal. To date, more than 200 individuals have registered their names in the database to express their intent to return.
Spokesperson Lamsal reiterated that the Nepali students and the bodies of the deceased students will be repatriated to Nepal as soon as flight permissions are granted, clarifying that the current war situation has prevented the possibility of sending aircraft from Nepal.
The government has taken proactive measures to utilize Nepal Airlines and Himalaya Airlines for the safe rescue of Nepali citizens. According to Spokesperson Lamsal, the government is also open to exploring assistance from friendly countries, should the need arise, to facilitate the rescue of Nepali nationals.
