17 Thai Hostages Taken In Israel Have Finally Returned To Thailand And Reunited With Their Families
At least 32 Thai nationals, who came from poorer regions in Thailand to work in Israel to earn higher wages, were captured after Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7.
Hamas released a total of 23 Thai hostages during the seven-day humanitarian pause, and some have finally returned to Thailand, much to the relief of their family members.
At least 32 Thai nationals, who came from poorer regions in Thailand to work in Israel to earn higher wages, were captured after Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, according to Thai officials.
On Oct. 31, the Qatar and Egyptian government started to mediate a deal between Hamas and the Thai government to obtain the safe return of the 32 Thai nationals.
The deal, which was separate from the Israel-Hamas humanitarian pause deal, allowed for the release of 23 Thai hostages.
The hostages were released throughout the seven-day ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, which saw the release of at least 80 Israeli hostages, during Nov. 24 to Dec. 1.
Among the 23 freed Thai hostages, six are still in Israeli hospitals waiting for doctors’ permission to travel back to Thailand.
The Thai government has asked journalists to refrain from asking hostages about their conditions during detentions, but it is uncertain if it was a formal request, according to Al Jazeera.
However, some Thai hostages and family members have provided some insight about their conditions.
“They hurt us, after hurting us, they took us somewhere and went through our belongings before taking us down the tunnels,” 26-year-old Thai farm worker, Natthaporn Onkaew, told Reuters.
“They gave us food and water once a day. They treated us well,” one of the freed hostages said, adding they were asked not to talk about their time in Gaza.
“They gave us bread, two meals a day for breakfast and dinner,” he added.
Meanwhile, the sister of one of the hostages expressed her relief after learning her brother had been released.
“His face was very happy and he seemed okay,” she told AFP, “He said that he was not tortured or assaulted and had been fed good food.”
When asked to confirm if they had been treated well, she said, “He was taken care well. He was not tired, his clothes were not soiled. He looked like a person staying in a house, not a tunnel.”
Thailand’s Foreign Minister said the hostages had received “the most dedicated treatment” and that they would be entitled to the same welfare benefits as all other Israeli hostages, according to the Times of Israel.
The Thai government said that 39 of its nationals were killed during the attack on Oct. 7.
