Two of the Thai hostages in Gaza are dead

According to the Israeli army they were killed immediately on 7 October during the attack on kibbutz Be'eri. The fate of six other Bangkok citizens believed to be in the hands of Hamas remains unknown, as does Nepalese student Bipin Joshi, Meanwhile, thousands of Thais are trying to find work again in Israel as farmers.

Bangkok (AsiaNews) - Two of the Thai citizens so far believed to be prisoners in Gaza have died. Sonthaya Oakkharasri and Sudthisak Rinthalak were actually killed immediately on 7 October, during the Hamas attack on Israeli territory, while they were employed in agricultural work on the Be'eri kibbutz four kilometres from the border with the Strip.

Announcing their death at a press conference last night was Israel Defence Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari. "On 7 October, Hamas terrorists brutally murdered 39 Thai citizens and kidnapped 31 others, taking them to Gaza," Hagari said, recalling that other foreign nationals had also been kidnapped.

Of the Thais, 17 had been released at the end of November during the one-week truce by returning home, followed by another six in December.

The foreign ministry in Bangkok confirmed that it had been informed by its embassy in Tel Aviv of the deaths 'based on available evidence' and informed the families. The ministry called for 'the immediate release of all remaining hostages, including the six Thai nationals in Gaza, to allow their safe return home' and urged the parties to 'put as much effort as possible into negotiations leading to an urgent solution to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza'.

There were 30,000 Thais in Israel on the eve of the massacre, the largest foreign labour migrant community along with the Filipino community. Many were employed in agriculture in the areas close to the border with Gaza and thus most exposed to Hamas action.

In recent days, the Thai Employment Department reported that 30,000 Thais are seeking to return to Israel, while the department is working on the quota of 5,000 jobs in the agricultural sector made available by Tel Aviv for the second half of the year.

Besides the Thai hostages, in the hands of Hamas in Gaza remain the young Nepalese student-worker who arrived in Israel less than a month before being captured. His family has repeatedly urged the Kathmandu government to work towards his release. The issue was also raised a few weeks ago during the visit of Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to the Himalayan country.

• Gaza
• Hamas
• hostages
• Thailand
• Nepal