Thai national thought held hostage in Gaza found safe in Israel

A Thai national believed to be among the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza has been found safe in Israel.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) reveals this miraculous twist as talks for the release of remaining Thai hostages continue.

The Thai embassy in Tel Aviv confirmed that a missing Thai national, initially feared to be among the hostages, recently reached out to family in Thailand, assuring them of his safety. Foreign Affairs Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara disclosed this reassuring update yesterday, December 7, adding a glimmer of hope to the critical situation in Gaza.

While negotiations persist for the release of the remaining eight Thai hostages, the minister acknowledges the precarious situation in Gaza. Despite the challenges, there’s optimism for a potential second ceasefire, hinting at more hostage releases in the future.

The repatriation efforts have successfully brought approximately 9,000 Thais back from Israel. However, a staggering 20,000 Thai nationals show no intention of returning home, residing in safe areas away from the conflict zones, according to Parnpree.

Initially reporting 23 Thai hostages released in Gaza, the embassy corrected the count to nine remaining in captivity. The embassy located a Thai citizen previously believed to be among the hostages on Wednesday, December 6. Astonishingly, this individual was never held hostage but had merely relocated for work, reported Bangkok Post.

In related news, the MFA is pushing forward with efforts to secure the release of the remaining nine Thai hostages held captive by Hamas. This comes as six additional Thai workers, recently liberated from their captors, are on the brink of returning to Thailand, scheduled to arrive on Monday, December 4. Read more about this story HERE.

In other news, Foreign Affairs Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara celebrated the release of two more Thai hostages from the conflict in Gaza on November 29. Their release was facilitated by a temporary truce between Israel and Hamas. Read more about this story HERE.