Thai hostages’ fate unknown a year after Hamas attack

The Israeli government has promised to do everything it can to rescue the remaining six Thai workers whose fate remains unknown a year after they were captured during the Hamas terror attack on southern Israel on Oct 7, 2023.
Orna Sagiv, the ambassador of Israel to Thailand, said there have been no reports about the remaining Thai hostages believed to be held in Gaza.
“Hamas does not cooperate with anyone,” she said on Monday when the embassy and the Jewish Association of Thailand held a commemoration ceremony in Bangkok.
“Hamas, for one year already, did not allow the Red Cross or any international organisations to even visit any of the hostages. So, unfortunately, we don’t know,” she said. “We don’t have any new information regarding the whereabouts of the hostages and their situation.
“But I can promise you that everything Israel does is to bring back the hostages, and it includes Thai hostages as well. I would like to call for every government around the world to help us bring these people back.”
Of the 31 Thais originally taken hostage by Hamas last October, 23 have been released. Two were confirmed dead in May and the fate of the remaining six is unknown.
Ms Sagiv told the Bangkok Post that the Israeli government has ensured the safety of about 35,000 Thais who continue to work in the country as Israel faces hostile forces around its territory.
The Israeli government has promised the Thai government that Thai workers are only in green zones and have not been placed in any high-risk red zones, she said.
“The Israeli government has done everything we can to protect Thai workers, including providing information in the Thai language and building more shelters in dangerous areas,” Ms Sagiv said.
“What is important for both Thais and Israelis is that when hearing the siren, please do not go out,” she said, adding that Thai workers should follow what Israelis do, which is run to a shelter after hearing sirens.
Most workers are safe even if the situation is not so stable, she said.
“If people follow instructions of the Israel Defense Forces, most of them are safe, especially when we compared the number of casualties to missile numbers being shot at Israel during the past two weeks, it was amazing [that the number of casualties were low](#).”
Ms Sagiv said Israel recently learned that Hezbollah was preparing to commit a massacre like Hamas did on Oct 7 last year.
She said the Iran-backed group was planning a systematic infiltration of northern Israel to kidnap and murder people.
“They had tunnels, cars, infrastructure and weapons ready. So, we cannot sit and wait to let it happen. We have to make sure they cannot do it. We have to do everything we can to protect our citizens and ensure they live peacefully,” she added.
Asked how Israel could protect Thai workers from a potential second massacre in northern Israel, she said that there are almost no Thais in that area.