In recent weeks, the Thai government has been holding Iranian-mediated negotiations with Hamas regarding the release of its 23 citizens who were abducted from Israel to Gaza.

Thirty-two Thai citizens were also murdered on October 7th and 19 were injured. Many Thai citizens worked on agricultural land in the south and Hamas terrorists did not differentiate between Jews and non-Jews in their depraved killing spree.

Israel’s Channel 12 reported on Tuesday that the Thai deputy prime minister and other senior officials recently held a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Tehran and then met with senior Hamas officials. According to the Bangkok Post, Hamas confirmed that it is holding 19 Thai hostages and said they are all safe and in good health but has yet to confirm the names of the other three hostages.

Malaysia is also involved in the mediation efforts.

Officials in Qatar and Egypt told their Thai counterparts that the Thai citizens in Gaza are being held in two or three separate groups and that some of them are being held by terrorist groups other than Hamas.

The report added that the Thai government recently donated about $85,000 to the UNRWA but it is unknown whether the funds are related to the negotiations.

On Monday, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said that he had seen photo evidence that the Thais were alive and later added that “they are in good condition and will return home soon.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)