IDF Recovers Body of Thai Hostage Abducted by Hamas in Gaza

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed on Saturday the recovery of the body of Nattapong Pinta, a Thai national who was taken hostage by Hamas during the October 7, 2023 attack.

According to an official statement, IDF and Shin Bet operatives located and retrieved Pinta’s remains on Friday during a targeted operation in the Rafah area of the southern Gaza Strip.

Pinta, a 36-year-old father of one, moved to Israel in 2022 for agricultural work, seeking higher wages to support his family in northern Thailand. He was employed at Kibbutz Nir Oz when he and 11 other Thai workers were abducted by Hamas militants in the early hours of the cross-border assault.

More than 600 days later, Israeli authorities confirmed that Pinta had been killed in captivity. His remains were successfully recovered and will be returned to Thailand.

The Israeli government stated that Hamas continues to hold 50+ hostages in Gaza, some are dead and some alive. The military operation in Rafah forms part of ongoing efforts to locate and recover those still unaccounted for.

Thai officials have been notified, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is reportedly coordinating with Israeli counterparts to facilitate the repatriation of Pinta’s body.

The October 7 attack, which triggered the current conflict between Israel and Hamas, resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 people and the abduction of more than 240 individuals, including foreign workers.

Efforts to secure the release of remaining hostages remain a top priority for Israeli defense and intelligence units.