From the Liveblog of
Sunday, October 8, 2023
11 Thai nationals being held by Hamas
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The Foreign Ministry of Thailand says 11 of its nationals were taken hostage during the fighting in southern Israel and presumably brought to Gaza.
“They are innocent and have nothing to do with any conflict,” Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said, according to the Bangkok Post.
There are some 5,000 Thais in areas of southern Israel currently under a war footing, according to Bangkok. Most are there as farmhands in agricultural communities, some of which came under attack in Saturday’s initial onslaught. Another two Thai nationals were confirmed killed.
Thawatchai and Thongkhoon Onkeaw say a picture appearing to show Thai workers being held by Hamas gunmen includes their son, Natthaporn Onkeaw, 26, the Post reports.
The picture, distributed on the Telegram messaging app, shows at least five men sitting in the dirt with their hands behind their backs in what appears to be a bunker, as masked gunmen train rifles on them.
The British Embassy also confirms to Sky News that British-Israeli Jake Marlow is missing in the area after having been at a desert party near Kibbutz Re’im. According to reports Marlow, who moved to Israel two years ago, was working security and has not been heard from since 8:45 a.m. Saturday morning. Videos from the party showed others being taken hostage by Hamas.
Israeli ambassador to the UK Tzipi Hotovely told the network that she believed a British citizen had been abducted, but the Israeli embassy later retracted the claim, Sky reports.
The Times of Israel Community.