Thailand Officials Hold Talks With Hamas For Release Of Hostages

Thailand officials held direct negotiations with Hamas representatives in Tehran last week concerning the 22 Thai nationals who were taken hostage by the Palestinian militant group Hamas during its attack on Israel. Areepen Uttarasin, the head of the Thai delegation, confirmed that during their meeting on October 26, they received a commitment from Hamas that the Thai hostages would be released at the "right time." In response to the October 7 attack launched by Hamas from the Gaza Strip, Israeli authorities reported the death of 1,400 people, many of whom were civilians, and the taking of more than 230 hostages. Subsequently, the Israeli military carried out airstrikes in Gaza, resulting in more than 8,700 casualties, according to the Hamas-controlled health ministry. Areepen, who led the three-person delegation appointed by the speaker of the Thai parliament, disclosed that they held a two-hour discussion with Hamas officials in Iran. He implored them to release the hostages, emphasizing their innocence. Hamas assured him that the hostages were being well taken care of but did not specify a release date, stating they were waiting for the appropriate moment. After the talks, the Thai delegation, all of whom are Muslims, prayed with the Hamas representatives. Areepen highlighted the respect that Hamas has for Thailand, given the nation's support and benefits offered to the Muslim community. Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin affirmed that his government is actively working to secure the release of the hostages. In pursuit of this goal, Thailand's foreign minister conducted discussions in Qatar and Egypt. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani declared that despite the complexity of the situation, Qatar is committed to ongoing efforts to secure the release of the hostages. Prime Minister Srettha had a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during which Netanyahu expressed his commitment to help secure the immediate release of the Thai hostages. It is important to note that approximately 30,000 Thais are employed in Israel, primarily in the agriculture sector, according to Thailand's labor ministry. The ongoing conflict has resulted in the loss of 32 Thai lives, with 19 individuals wounded, and Thailand has carried out repatriation flights, evacuating over 7,000 of its citizens.