© Reuters. Thai employees taken hostage by Hamas and later launched as a part of a deal between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, pose with a member of Thai mission after a medical checkup, in Tel Aviv, Israel, on this handout picture launched on November 25, 2
By Chayut Setboonsarng
BANGKOK (Reuters) -Vetoon Phoome’s household feared the Thai farm employee had been killed by Hamas in final month’s assault on Israel, till they came upon on Saturday he had been freed together with different Thai hostages in Gaza.
“He told me not to cry, to tell mother I’m coming back,” Vetoon’s sister, Roongarun Wichagern, informed Reuters after an emotional reunion with him through video name.
Vetoon, 33, who has been residing in Israel for 5 years, was certainly one of 10 Thai hostages freed by Hamas throughout the first truce of a seven-week-old conflict that began with the Palestinian militant group’s Oct. 7 assault on southern Israel.
“He said, ‘I’m not dead, I’m not dead’,” Roongarun mentioned, calling his survival a “miracle”.
The ten Thais had been amongst 24 hostages freed on Friday in a deal negotiated in parallel with the truce and an change of 39 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. Thailand’s authorities mentioned 20 of its nationals are nonetheless captive.
Thailand’s overseas minister and armed forces chief will journey to Israel to deliver the freed hostages again, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin informed reporters, including that his authorities was nonetheless making an attempt to safe the discharge of the remaining captives.
“We will not stop. We will bring them back,” he mentioned.
Iran’s Embassy in Bangkok mentioned on social media that Tehran had facilitated the discharge by offering a listing of names to Hamas following a request from Thailand’s International Ministry and a parliamentary speaker.
A Thai overseas ministry spokesperson mentioned Thailand had “provided lists since the beginning to everyone,” together with Qatar, Egypt, Israel and Iran.
“Different actors would have different influence on Hamas,” the spokesperson mentioned.
MIGRANT WORKERS
About 30,000 Thai nationals work in Israel, forming certainly one of its largest teams of migrant employees, many in agriculture.
Vetoon informed members of the family he had shouted “Thailand, Thailand!” when the militants approached, earlier than capturing him and holding him in tunnels, Roongarun mentioned.
He was not wounded or tortured, was given meals and water and didn’t seem to have misplaced weight, Roongarun added.
His mates believed he had died, however the household adopted the information “without sleeping”, hoping he had been taken hostage, she mentioned.
“I saw the news hostages would be released, and then someone sent a photo,” Roongarun mentioned. “It was clearly my little brother.”
The launched captives additionally included the one Thai lady recognized to be held by Hamas, a manufacturing unit employee and mom from a poor rural space the place many individuals go away to hunt job alternatives overseas.
Images from the Thai International Ministry confirmed them assembly docs at a medical centre in Israel. They’ll return house after 48 hours in hospital, the ministry mentioned, thanking Egypt, Iran, Israel, Malaysia, Qatar and the Worldwide Committee of the Crimson Cross for “immense efforts” on the deal to free them.
A supply briefed on the negotiations mentioned the discharge was unrelated to the truce take care of Israel and adopted a separate observe of talks with Hamas mediated by Egypt and Qatar.
A gaggle of Thai Muslim politicians had travelled to Tehran and met senior Hamas officers in October.
Thongkoon Onkaew informed Reuters authorities had mentioned her son, Natthaporn Onkaew, a 26-year-old farm employee, was not among the many first group launched, however she added that she was “waiting for good news.”
