BANGKOK – Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin posted a message on April 25, 2024, addressing eight Thai workers who have been held hostage in Gaza since the start of the Hamas-Israel War on October 7, 2023.
The statement was issued by PM Srettha and the leaders of 17 other countries, all of which have citizens who are missing or were taken hostage. The other countries are Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
“Today, I joined fellow leaders of 17 countries with remaining hostages in Gaza in the Joint Statement, calling for the immediate release of all hostages, including our 8 Thai nationals. I view this matter as an urgent humanitarian issue and will continue to do my utmost for the safety and the release of our Thai nationals so that they can return home as soon as possible,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs published the Joint Statement calling for the release of the hostages held in Gaza, as follows:
We call for the immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas in Gaza for over 200 days. They include our own citizens. The fate of the hostages and the civilian population in Gaza, who are protected under international law, is of international concern.
We emphasize that the deal on the table to release the hostages would bring an immediate and prolonged ceasefire in Gaza, that would facilitate a surge of additional necessary humanitarian assistance to be delivered throughout Gaza, and lead to the credible end of hostilities. Gazans would be able to return to their homes and their lands with preparations beforehand to ensure shelter and humanitarian provisions.
We strongly support the ongoing mediation efforts in order to bring our people home. We reiterate our call on Hamas to release the hostages, and let us end this crisis so that collectively we can focus our efforts on bringing peace and stability to the region.
According to Associated Press, the Israel-Hamas war was ignited by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, in which some 1,200 people were killed, mostly civilians, and another 250 abducted.
The war has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, two-thirds of them children and women, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count but has said that around two-thirds of those killed were women and children.
The war has devastated Gaza’s two largest cities and left a swath of destruction. Around 80% of the territory’s population have fled to other parts of the besieged coastal enclave.
