Gaza Hostages: Silence shrouds the fate of Asian migrants in Hamas hands.

Israel celebrates the release of Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari as part of the fragile truce. However, the fate of the foreign workers still being held hostage in the Strip remains a mystery. These include six Thai nationals and one Nepalese national about whose fate nothing has transpired even during negotiations in recent days. The families' fears that “everything may fall apart” before their return.

Jerusalem (AsiaNews) - In these frantic hours of joy mixed with hope in Israel over the return of the first group of hostages in the hands of Hamas in Gaza following the signing of the truce, questions are being asked in Thailand and Nepal about the fate of the fellow citizens still kidnapped.

They represent the "forgotten face ” of this tragedy that, triggered by the attack by the extremist group that controls the Strip on Oct. 7, 2023, has claimed 1,200 lives on the Israeli side and more than 47,000 Palestinian lives, mostly civilians including women and children.

And that contrasts with the images and videos relaunched in recent hours of Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher and Emily Damari, the first three hostages released under the ceasefire agreement. Family members and compatriots are wondering about their fate, which remains largely shrouded in mystery according to a script already read several times in these 15 months of conflict.

In this regard, the Israeli embassy in Bangkok said it had no definite news about the six Thai hostages who are still in Hamas custody. Of the eight still in the hands of the extremist group at least two are reportedly dead, of the others - among whom is Christian Watchara Sriaoun - according to a source at the diplomatic representation, “there is no information yet,” and their fate, including where they are being held, is unknown.

None of the Thais are on the list of 33 names covered by the first phase of the prisoner exchange, and who are expected to be freed or whose bodies are expected to be returned in the first 42 days after the cease-fire takes effect. Of the 31 Thais working on kibbutzim around Gaza taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023, 23 were released (along with one Filipino) during the first ceasefire in November 2023. Two were confirmed dead last May, while six are still in Hamas custody.

A similar climate of expectation and hope, albeit against a backdrop of profound uncertainty, is being felt in a remote village in western Nepal, thousands of miles away from Israel. As the BBC reports, Mahananda Joshi spends much of the day with his phone under his hand, waiting for news about the fate of his son Bipin Joshi, a 23-year-old agriculture student kidnapped by Hamas and held hostage in Gaza. The last time Padma, Bipin's mother, spoke to him was on Oct. 6, 2023, the day before he was kidnapped. Sources say the young man is still alive, although Kathmandu's ambassador to Israel Dhan Prasad Pandit said he still has “no concrete information” on his condition or whereabouts.

She recounts the dramatic months of uncertainty and the feeling of expectation that, even today, prevails and characterizes her days. “I feel that today or tomorrow,” she recounts, ”he will send me a message saying, Mom, I am free now and I will come home immediately."

In reality, while there are hopes that the young man may be freed and return home, the release is unlikely to happen anytime soon.

In fact, Bipin and the nine other foreign workers still imprisoned in the Strip are not expected to be freed in this first - of three - phases of the ceasefire in which priority is given to women, children and the elderly. However, the family's fear is that, in the meantime, the picture may change, the cease-fire will founder, and the guns will resound again, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has moreover threatened (also) in recent hours.

And as large sectors of the executive branch are demanding, particularly the religious and radical wing linked to Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security colleague Itamar Ben-Gvir. “Everything could fall apart,” Padma concludes, with tears in her eyes.