Thai nationals taken hostage by Hamas declared dead

Two Thai nationals who were taken during the Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel have now been declared dead, according to the Hostages Families Forum Headquarters.

Officials now say Sonthaya Oakkharasri and Sudthisak Rinthalak were killed on the day of the invasion by Hamas and their bodies were taken back to Gaza, where they remain. Both were agricultural workers in the orchards near Kibbutz Be’eri, the Hostage Families Forum said.

“The horrific cruelty of Hamas was directed against anyone in their path without distinction of origin or nationality,” Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces, said in a statement. “In front of our eyes stands the moral duty to bring them all back –- to bring all 132 hostages home as quickly as possible.”

Thirty-nine Thai citizens were killed and 31 Thai citizens were kidnapped to Gaza in the attack on Oct. 7. Large numbers of Thai nationals have traditionally done agricultural work in Israel.

Source » abcnews.go.com