PM Srettha asks Israel to help free 16 Thai hostages held in Gaza
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has urged Israel’s ambassador in Bangkok to help ensure the speedy release of 16 Thais kidnapped by Hamas, while expressing condolences for Israel’s losses following the attack on Saturday.
The race to free hostages became more urgent on Friday when the UN reported that Israel has told 1.1 million Gazans to relocate to the enclave’s south within the next 24 hours amid a buildup of Israeli troops.
The 16 kidnapped Thais are among dozens of hostages from various countries who are believed to be in Gaza.
PM Srettha met with Israeli ambassador Orna Sagiv at Government House on Friday and told her that the government is closely monitoring the conflict situation and hoping for a swift return to normalcy.
He added that Thailand strongly condemns all forms of violence, especially when it affects innocent civilians.
A total of 21 Thai citizens have been killed in the conflict, according to the latest reports.
The total death toll rose to over 2,700 on Thursday, with Israel reporting 1,300 dead and Gaza saying more than 1,400 Palestinians had been killed.
Srettha urged Sagiv to provide swift assistance for the 16 Thai workers taken hostage and expressed concern for their safety under "unprecedented" conditions in a conflict zone.
The ambassador assured the PM that the Israeli government was committed to taking care of everyone in Israel as if they were its own citizens. However, she cautioned that Israel was facing a form of war it had never encountered before.
The ambassador said civilians had been evacuated from the conflict zone to a safe area 4 kilometres away. Israeli authorities were working with the Thai government to ensure its citizens in Israel are protected, she added.
Srettha said he appreciated the assistance from Israel, adding that his government’s priority was to ensure that the estimated 30,000 Thai citizens in Israel are safe.
The PM is also in regular contact with the Thai ambassador in Tel Aviv as part of efforts to monitor and assess the situation, and plan assistance for Thai citizens trapped in Israel.
Srettha requested support from Israel for the mission to bring back nearly 6,000 Thai nationals who wish to return home. He also asked that Israeli employers take good care of Thai employees during this time.
