One Thai worker remains a captive of Hamas in Gaza as negotiations between the Palestinian militant group and Israel continue.
Nontarat Phaicharoen and Jon Preechawong/Bangkok
Hamas militants have released five Thai farm workers after holding them captive for more than 15 months in Gaza, as part of a recently struck ceasefire and prisoner deal with the Israeli government.
The five were among 31 Thai nationals captured and taken hostage during the Palestinian militant group’s attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Twenty-three of those hostages had already been released but two others died while in Hamas custody, according to Pannabha Chandraramya, the Thai ambassador to Israel.
One Thai national remains in captivity, Nikorndej Balankura, a spokesman for Thailand’s foreign ministry, told a news conference Thursday.
“We have been informed by our embassy in Tel Aviv that five Thai hostages were released today and are being transferred to a secure area for hospital treatment and health checkups,” he said.
The five were identified as farm hands Watchara Sriaoun, Pongsak Thaenna, Sathian Suwannakham, Surasak Lamnao, and Bannawat Saethao.
“We thank Israel for assisting and facilitating the return of these five Thai nationals. We sincerely hope that the remaining Thai hostage and all other hostages in Gaza will be helped to return safely to their homeland and families as soon as possible,” Nikorndej said.
In total, 46 Thai nationals have been killed during 15 months of fighting between Hamas and the Israeli government, according to Thailand’s foreign affairs ministry.
Before the fighting broke out, around 30,000 Thai nationals lived in Israel, predominantly employed as farmhands. About 5,000 were employed as agricultural farm workers near Gaza, according to Bangkok’s labor ministry.
Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault on southern Israel included rocket attacks and raids on civilian targets, killing more than 1,200 people and taking over 250 hostages.
The attack – which occurred when Israelis were commemorating Simchat Torah, one of Judaism’s holiest days – was regarded as the worst act of terror in Israel’s history.
The Israelis retaliated with a military onslaught – airstrikes and a ground invasion – that destroyed much of Gaza and left more than 47,000 Palestinians dead and more than 111,000 injured, according to health ministry officials in the Palestinian enclave.
The Jan. 19 ceasefire and hostage deal aims to end the fighting in Gaza and secure the release of hostages held by Hamas, as well as hundreds of Palestinians detained by Israel.
Due to safety concerns after the Hamas attack, the Thai government suspended its policy of sending workers to Israel in October 2023, but reversed the decision eight months later.
“This is the happiest day of my life, hearing that my son will be released with his friends. I’ve always believed he was still alive. His father and I have been waiting for him,” Kham-mee, mother of Surasak, a worker from Udon Thani province, told reporters.
“I admit I was deeply distressed since his capture on October 7, 2023 – suffering for one year and three months.”
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