Thai foreign minister says he can’t confirm reports of Thai hostages set for release

Thailand’s foreign minister says he has not yet been able to confirm media reports that 23 Thai workers held hostage in Gaza are set to be released. The minister does say that his Iranian counterpart, who is serving as an intermediary with the Hamas terror group, has told him there will be “good news soon.”

Thai Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara says his ministry has been preparing to receive the hostages if and when they are released.

Qatari officials, who have been the main intermediaries in hostage release talks, will have a meeting about the matter, Parnpree says. He adds that he expects Thai officials to know more regarding developments later today and hopes it will be good news.

The missing workers were among some 30,000 Thais employed mostly in Israel’s agricultural sector. According to the Thai foreign ministry, 39 were killed in Hamas’s October 7 terror massacres, and 36 were abducted. More than 8,600 workers have been voluntarily repatriated home since the attacks.