Thailand Mourns Loss as Body of Abducted National Retrieved from Gaza

Tragic update as the body of a Thai agricultural worker abducted during the 2023 Hamas attack has been recovered by Israeli forces, intensifying calls for hostage negotiations.

Israel's Defence Minister, Israel Katz, announced the recovery of the body of 35-year-old Nattapong Pinta, a Thai national who was taken hostage during an attack by Hamas in October 2023. The retrieval occurred in the Rafah region of southern Gaza during a targeted operation. Working to support his family back in Thailand, Nattapong was kidnapped while employed as an agricultural laborer at Kibbutz Nir Oz. Israeli military intelligence indicates that he likely perished shortly after his capture.

Prior to this operation, there was uncertainty surrounding his fate. Nattapong was not the only hostage involved; earlier this week, the Israeli army also recovered the bodies of two Israeli Americans, underscoring the ongoing humanitarian crises stemming from the conflict. Reports reveal that Nattapong was married and a father, with the military official revealing a heart-wrenching image of his son crying upon receiving news of his father’s body.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum expressed deep sorrow over the lengthy period of uncertainty for families of the abducted, stating this incident marks "20 terrible and agonising months." They are now advocating for negotiations between the Israeli government and Hamas to secure the release of remaining captives, which includes 54 individuals; of these, the Israeli military has confirmed that 31 are no longer alive.

Nattapong is believed to be the last remaining Thai captive from the attack on October 7, 2023, with five other Thai nationals previously released during a ceasefire, all safe and alive. Additionally, two recovered bodies this week belonged to an elderly couple, Judy and Gadi Haggai, also victims of the same assault and previously held by the Mujahideen Brigades. The conflict has caused significant casualties, with reports estimating over 54,677 fatalities in Gaza since the outbreak of hostilities, according to the territory's health ministry.