Israeli military confirmed the retrieval of Nattapong Pinta’s body, a Thai farmworker taken hostage by militants during the 2023 Hamas attack. His death and the status of other Thai captives underscore the ongoing tensions and humanitarian crises in the region.
Israeli Forces Recover Body of Thai Hostage in Gaza
Israeli Forces Recover Body of Thai Hostage in Gaza
The tragic recovery of Nattapong Pinta highlights the ongoing complexities surrounding hostages in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Israeli security forces reported the recovery of the body of Nattapong Pinta, a Thai farmworker who was taken hostage during the 2023 Hamas-led assault on Israel. The Israeli military confirmed on Saturday that Pinta was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz in southern Israel and subsequently killed by members of the Mujahideen Brigades, a militant group operating in Gaza.
The operation to retrieve his body involved intelligence gathered by the Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic intelligence agency, during an interrogation with a Palestinian militant. The body was found in the Rafah area of southern Gaza.
The motley of hostages taken during the attack included numerous Thai farmworkers, with Pinta being one of many captured on October 7, 2023. In the wake of the conflict, several cease-fires led to the release of some captives; during a November 2023 cease-fire, 23 Thai individuals were freed, and five others were released in a subsequent truce this year.
According to sociologist Yahel Kurlander, who advocates for the rights of Thai hostages, Israel believes that two more Thai citizens, Sonthaya Oakkharasri and Sudthisak Rinthalak, are still being held in Gaza. The recent recovery of Pinta's body raises the total number of known living and deceased captives in the region to 55, with Israeli officials estimating that up to 23 may still be alive.
In a statement, Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Saar, informed his Thai counterpart, Maris Sangiampongsa, about the results of the operation to recover Pinta’s remains. The Thai national was not only a dedicated worker but also served as an essential link between the Thai labor community and their Israeli employers. With a wife and young son, Pinta's tragic fate serves as a poignant reminder of the humanitarian toll of ongoing conflicts in the region.
