Thailand confirms release of four more Thai hostages by Hamas

Bangkok, Nov 26 (EFE).- Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on Sunday confirmed the release of another four Thai hostages being held by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.

A handout photo made available by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows Israel’s Foreign Minister Eli Cohen (L) speaking with a Thai migrant worker (C) who was freed from Hamas captivity, during a visit to the Shamir Medical Center in Tel Aviv, Israel, 25 November 2023 (issued 26 November 2023). EFE-EPA/THAI MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS/HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

Srettha celebrated the release of the four hostages in a post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

A handout photo made available by the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows Israel’s Foreign Minister Eli Cohen (L) speaking with a Thai migrant worker (C) who was freed from Hamas captivity, during a visit to the Shamir Medical Center in Tel Aviv, Israel, 25 November 2023 (issued 26 November 2023). EFE-EPA/THAI MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS/HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

“On November 25 at 11:50 p.m. (local time) the Thai hostages were released,” he said.

The hostages were released a day after ten other Thai nationals were handed over by Hamas.

After an hours-long delay that raised fears of a breach of a four-day truce that began on Friday, Israel and Hamas carried out the second exchange of 13 Israeli hostages – in addition to the four Thais – for 39 Palestinian prisoners.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Thai foreign ministry said it had received “further information from the Israeli authorities that the number of abducted Thai nationals has increased by two more people” taking the today number of Thai nationals still in captivity to 18.

“The Thai government will continue to make every effort towards the safe release and return of those remaining Thai nationals,” the ministry added.

The ministry said it was coordinating with the Israeli authorities regarding procedures to bring the 14 released Thai nationals to Thailand “as soon as possible.”

Red Cross representatives were in charge of transferring the 17 hostages released by Hamas on Saturday from the Gaza Strip to Egypt through the Rafah crossing, where after a preliminary medical check, they were handed over to the Israeli security services, who took them to the Kerem Shalom crossing between Egypt and Israel.

More than 240 people were kidnapped by the armed wing of Hamas during its attack on Israel on Oct. 7, which left some 1,200 dead, including 39 Thais.

Since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas, Thailand has sought different avenues to secure the release of its nationals, including a trip led by Thai Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara to Egypt and Qatar and meetings in Iran between Thai and Hamas officials.

Some 30,000 Thais were in Israel, including 5,000 employees near Gaza, at the time of the Hamas assault, out of which more than 10,000 have already returned, while the others have chosen to stay back.

The first truce between Israel and Hamas came into force at 7 am on Friday as part of an agreement for the release of 50 hostages in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners after more than a month-and-a-half of war. EFE

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