On Thursday, the Israeli army announced that two Thai hostages who were previously believed to be alive in Gaza were killed in the October 7 strike, and their bodies are being held in the Palestinian territory.
An army spokesman, Daniel Hagari stated, “We informed the families of two kidnapped Thai citizens, who worked in agriculture in the plantations near Kibbutz Beeri, that they were murdered in the terrorist attack on October 7 and their bodies are being held by Hamas”.
Today, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin tweeted, “I am deeply saddened to learn that the two Thai hostages in Gaza, namely Mr. Sonthaya Oakkharasri and Mr. Sudthisak Rinthalak are now confirmed deceased”, through his official ‘X’ handle.
He went on to say, “I offer my deepest condolences to both their families”.
“The Thai government will continue to do our utmost to secure the release of the remaining hostages”, he added.
Thailand has approximately 30,000 people in Israel, the majority of them work in the agricultural sector, earning much greater wages as field laborers than they would at home.
Hamas’s October 7 strike killed over 1,170 people, mostly civilians.
According to the health ministry in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, Israel’s military retaliation has killed at least 35,272 civilians, also mostly civilians.
Approximately 30 Thais were among the estimated 250 individuals held captive by gunmen during the cross-border raids into Israel.
Israel estimates that 128 hostages remain in Gaza, 38 of whom the military claims are dead.
Seventeen Thai captives were released and returned to the nation in November last year. Another six went home in early December.
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