According to the Israeli military, they were immediately killed on October 7 during the attack on Kibbutz Be’eri. The situation of six other Bangkok citizens in the hands of Hamas, as well as Nepalese student Bipin Joshi, remains unknown. Meanwhile, thousands of Thais are trying to find work again in Israel as farmers.

Bangkok () – Two of the Thai citizens who were supposed to be prisoners in Gaza are actually dead. Indeed, Sonthaya Oakkharasri and Sudthisak Rinthalak were immediately killed on October 7, during the Hamas attack on Israeli territory, while they were doing agricultural work in Kibbutz Be’eri, four kilometers from the border with the Strip.

The deaths were announced yesterday at a press conference by Israel Defense Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari. “On October 7, Hamas terrorists brutally murdered 39 Thai citizens and kidnapped another 31 to take them to Gaza,” said Hagari, recalling that other foreign citizens were also kidnapped in the same way. Of the Thais, 17 were released in late November during the week-long truce and returned to their country, followed by another 6 in December.

The Foreign Ministry in Bangkok confirmed that its embassy in Tel Aviv had informed it of the deaths “based on available evidence” and that it had already notified the families. The Ministry called for “the immediate release of all hostages still held prisoner in Gaza, including the six Thai nationals, so that they can safely return to their country” and urged the parties to “put the greatest possible effort into bringing forward negotiations that lead to an urgent solution to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.”

Before the massacre there were 30,000 Thais in Israel, the largest community of foreign migrant workers along with the Filipinos. Many were employed in agriculture in the areas near the border with Gaza and, therefore, the most exposed to Hamas action. In recent days, the Thai Employment Department reported that 30,000 Thais are trying to return to Israel and that the Department is working on the quota of 5,000 positions in the agricultural sector that Tel Aviv made available for the second half of the year.

In addition to the Thai hostages, the young Nepalese student-worker who arrived in Israel less than a month before being captured is still in the hands of Hamas. His family has repeatedly requested the government in Kathmandu to do everything possible for his release. The issue was also raised a few weeks ago during the visit to the Himalayan country of the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.

According to the Israeli military, they were immediately killed on October 7 during the attack on Kibbutz Be’eri. The situation of six other Bangkok citizens in the hands of Hamas, as well as Nepalese student Bipin Joshi, remains unknown. Meanwhile, thousands of Thais are trying to find work again in Israel as farmers.

Bangkok () – Two of the Thai citizens who were supposed to be prisoners in Gaza are actually dead. Indeed, Sonthaya Oakkharasri and Sudthisak Rinthalak were immediately killed on October 7, during the Hamas attack on Israeli territory, while they were doing agricultural work in Kibbutz Be’eri, four kilometers from the border with the Strip.

The deaths were announced yesterday at a press conference by Israel Defense Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari. “On October 7, Hamas terrorists brutally murdered 39 Thai citizens and kidnapped another 31 to take them to Gaza,” said Hagari, recalling that other foreign citizens were also kidnapped in the same way. Of the Thais, 17 were released in late November during the week-long truce and returned to their country, followed by another 6 in December.

The Foreign Ministry in Bangkok confirmed that its embassy in Tel Aviv had informed it of the deaths “based on available evidence” and that it had already notified the families. The Ministry called for “the immediate release of all hostages still held prisoner in Gaza, including the six Thai nationals, so that they can safely return to their country” and urged the parties to “put the greatest possible effort into bringing forward negotiations that lead to an urgent solution to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.”

Before the massacre there were 30,000 Thais in Israel, the largest community of foreign migrant workers along with the Filipinos. Many were employed in agriculture in the areas near the border with Gaza and, therefore, the most exposed to Hamas action. In recent days, the Thai Employment Department reported that 30,000 Thais are trying to return to Israel and that the Department is working on the quota of 5,000 positions in the agricultural sector that Tel Aviv made available for the second half of the year.

In addition to the Thai hostages, the young Nepalese student-worker who arrived in Israel less than a month before being captured is still in the hands of Hamas. His family has repeatedly requested the government in Kathmandu to do everything possible for his release. The issue was also raised a few weeks ago during the visit to the Himalayan country of the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.