
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip released five Thai and three Israeli hostages on Thursday, handing them over to the Red Cross amid chaotic crowds. It was part of a swap that’s set to see 110 Palestinians released from Israeli prisons.
The sight of the Israeli hostages being escorted by armed fighters through thousands of onlookers drew condemnation from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, who said he wouldn’t free this round of Palestinian prisoners until mediators assured the safe release of hostages in future exchanges.
He later said he received such a commitment, although he didn’t confirm the expected releases.
This was the third such exchange since a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza began earlier this month. The fragile truce is aimed at ending the war in Gaza and securing the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas, as well as hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned or detained by Israel.
All 5 Thai hostages are in good health, official says
BANGKOK, Thailand — All five of the released Thai hostages appear to be in good health but will receive more thorough medical check-ups in light of their 15 months in captivity, a spokesperson for Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nikorndej Balankura, said.
The men, who range in age from 27 to 36, are expected to return to Thailand within 10 days depending on their physical condition and completion of the necessary paperwork, the spokesperson said at a news conference in Bangkok.
He said the total number of Thai nationals affected include 46 fatalities, 28 released hostages and one remaining hostage. Israel says three Thais remain in captivity, two of whom are believed to be dead.
A number of foreign workers were taken hostage along with dozens of Israeli civilians and soldiers during Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7, 2023. Twenty-three Thais were among more than 100 hostages released during a weeklong ceasefire in November 2023.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra thanked Qatar, Egypt, Iran, Turkey, the United States, Israel, and the Red Cross, for helping to negotiate the Thais’ release in a separate deal from the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. She said Thailand’s minister of foreign affairs would travel to Israel this weekend.

Thai ambassador says she’s ‘holding her breath’
BEER YAAKOV, Israel — Thailand’s ambassador to Israel said she was “holding her breath” along with the entire country of Israel for the release of five Thai agricultural workers who were kidnapped on Oct. 7.
“We have nothing to do with this conflict, they just happened to be there, and they are working tirelessly on the farms and kibbutzes,” said Ambassador Pannabha Chandraramya as she watched footage from Gaza at the Israeli hospital where the Thai workers will be brought upon their return to Israel.
She added that despite the war, Thai agricultural workers are continuing to come to Israel. Prior to the attack, less than 30,000 Thai workers were in Israel, mostly in the agricultural sector, and that number has grown to 38,000 today.
Chandraramya said the Thai government had notified the families of all six surviving Thai hostages, because they are not sure which five will be released. The bodies of another two Thai hostages who were killed on Oct. 7, 2023 are also being held in Gaza.
The Shamir Medical Center, outside of Tel Aviv, has a number of Thai-speaking social workers and psychologists to assist the hostages being released.
Who are the Thai hostages released by Hamas?
Watchara Sriaoun, 33
In the Oct. 7 attack, militants overran the compound where agricultural workers lived on Kibbutz Nir Oz. Out of the 16 Thai workers living there, 11 were killed and five, including Watchara Sriaoun, were abducted.
They were among at least 31 Thai workers taken in the assault. In the November 2023 ceasefire, 23 were released in a deal negotiated between Thailand and Hamas, with assistance from Qatar and Iran.
Sathian Suwannakham, 35
Sathian Suwannakham was also taken from Nir Oz. The kibbutz has continued to advocate for the release of the Thai workers by posting regularly about them on social media, in addition to the Israeli hostages.
About 30,000 Thais were working in Israel when the war started, according to the Thai Foreign Ministry, the vast majority in agriculture. About 5,000 of them lived in the southern area near the border with Gaza.
Surasak Rumnao, 32
Surasak Rumnao was abducted from the town of Yesha, located near the southern Gaza Strip.
His mother, Khammee Lamnao, said the Thai embassy in Israel called her to let her know her son would be released.
“I cannot wait to see my son,” the 53-year-old said. “I’ve been waiting for him.”
Surasak had been working in the agricultural sector in Israel for 15 months when he was taken hostage.
Pongsak Thaenna, 36
Pongsak Thaenna was also taken from the town of Yesha. Thais make up the largest group of foreigners held in Gaza.
In the early days after the Oct. 7 attack, then-Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin pressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in phone conversations to assist the Thai hostages.
Bannawat Saethao, 27
Bannawat Saethao was also abducted from the town of Yesha.
Israel’s Netanyahu says mediators have assured a safe exit for hostages in Gaza for future exchanges
JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says mediators have assured the safe exit for hostages in Gaza going forward, paving the way for the release of Palestinian prisoners.
He did not confirm the release, but Israeli media reported that it would happen later Thursday.
The chaotic handover Thursday of some of the Israeli captives in Gaza, who were shuttled through a rowdy crowd of thousands by masked militants, drew an angry protest from Israel. Netanyahu had said the release of Palestinian prisoners was put on hold until the “safe release” of hostages can be assured and called on mediators to intervene.
Israeli president thanks Thai government for support
JERUSALEM — Israel’s president thanked the Thai government for its support as he met with the Thai ambassador Thursday, ahead of the release of five Thai hostages from captivity in Gaza.
The Thai government confirmed Thursday that five Thai hostages were released from Gaza. The hostages, who were pulled from the farming communities in southern Israel where they worked as agricultural laborers on Oct. 7, 2023, were among 31 Thais taken by Hamas.
President Isaac Herzog said in a statement posted to X that he told Pannabha Chandraramya, the ambassador of Thailand to Israel, that “the people of Israel are very moved by the release of our Thai brothers from the hell of captivity.”
He thanked the Thai government for its support and vowed to continue trying to secure the release of Thai hostages who remain in Gaza.
Twenty-three others were already released. Another two have been confirmed dead, and the status of one remaining person is not clear.
Netanyahu puts Palestinian prisoners’ release on hold
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has put the release of Palestinian prisoners on hold until the “safe release” of hostages is assured after a chaotic handover in Gaza.
Netanyahu demanded that mediators intervene after some hostages released Thursday were led through a rowdy crowd of thousands by masked militants.
Israel was supposed to release 110 Palestinian prisoners later Thursday, including around 30 serving life sentences for deadly attacks against Israelis.
Agam Berger reunites with family at military base
TEL AVIV, Israel — “We’re here and we’re never leaving you,” Agam Berger’s mother, Merav, told her daughter in the moments of their initial reunion on Israeli soil after Agam’s release on Thursday from Hamas captivity.
Berger, 20, was among five young female soldiers abducted when militants overran the Nahal Oz military base in the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, killing over 60 soldiers there. The other four were released Saturday.
The family was reunited at a specially prepared reception area in a military base near the Gaza border. A pale looking Berger wiped away tears as she sat on her mother’s lap and held her father’s hand, as seen in footage released by the Israeli army.
From the military base, Berger was flown to a hospital in central Israel, where she will meet her fellow released soldiers.
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