Dozens of Thai hostages freed in Gaza, confirms PM Srettha Thavisin

Twelve Thai nationals who were being held captive in Gaza have been released, according to Thailand's prime minister. Srettha Thavisin stated that officials were en route to collect them but did not provide further details about their identities. It is believed that the extremist group Hamas captured 26 Thai citizens during the attack on October 7th. However, this release is not linked to a wider ceasefire agreement, which will result in the liberation of 50 Israeli hostages from Gaza. The ceasefire, negotiated by Qatar, will last for four days during which Palestinian women and children detained in Israel will be exchanged for 150 Palestinians. On Tuesday, a senior Israeli official reported that Hamas might release the Thai nationals unilaterally. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin confirmed the release of the 12 individuals and mentioned that embassy officials were en route to collect them. Thai citizens have been disproportionately affected by the October 7th attack since many Thai workers, mainly employed in the agricultural sector, have traveled to Israel, totaling approximately 30,000 people. The attack resulted in the death of at least 30 Thai citizens. Families anxiously await news to find out if their loved ones are among those released. Thongkoon Onkaew, the mother of Natthaporn Onkaew, a Thai farmer, expressed her hope that her son would be among the first to be freed. She described the past month as painful with no positive updates and thanked the authorities for their efforts in negotiating the release of Thai nationals. Another individual, Wanida Maarsa, the wife of Anucha Angkaew, shared her anxiety and mentioned that she needed to contact the local representative to verify the news. She expressed that if her husband was one of the 12 released, she would be overjoyed.