Thai national Surasak Lamnau freed from Hamas captivity after 482 days
Five Thai citizens who were foreign workers in Israel when abducted on Oct. 7, 2023, are released in a brokered deal on Jan. 30, 2025
On January 30, 2025, Thai national Surasak Lamnau was released from Hamas captivity in Gaza as part of a separate hostage release deal. He was handed over to the Red Cross, who delivered him to IDF soldiers who escorted him into Israel. Below is what we initially knew of his capture:
Surasak Lamnau, a Thai laborer in Israel’s south, was taken captive when Hamas terrorists massacred Israel’s Gaza border communities on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage.
According to a Channel News Asia interview with Surasak’s mother, Kanmee Lamnau, she asked friends of her son who had survived the massacre whether they had seen him, and they hadn’t.
She then posted about her eldest son online and someone recognized Surasak’s picture.
They told Kanmee Lamnau that Surasak had been abducted with his employer and others, five in total.
“I still have hope,” said Kanmee Lamnau, adding that two of the captives with Surasak had been released after nearly 50 days in captivity.
The Times of Israel Community.