Interior Minister Moshe Arbel announced Sunday that five Thai nationals freed from Hamas captivity in Gaza will be granted Israeli residency as a humanitarian gesture. The five were held hostage for more than 15 months after being abducted during the October 7 massacre.
Arbel shared the decision during a meeting in his office with Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa, where the two also discussed expanding bilateral agreements on employment sectors. Meanwhile, an Israeli delegation has arrived in Bangkok for talks with Thai officials on advancing cooperation.
The five freed hostages—Sathian Suwannakham, Pongsak Thenna, Bannawat Seathao, Watchara Sriaoun and Surasak Lamnau—were released Thursday after 482 days in captivity.
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One remaining Thai hostage, Pinta Nattapong, is still believed to be held in Gaza, while two others, Sudthisak Rinthalak and Sonthaya Oakkharasri, were killed on October 7 at Kibbutz Be’eri, with their bodies still held by Hamas.
Ahead of their release, Thai Ambassador to Israel Pannabha Chandraramya expressed her relief. “This is a day of good news for me, for my country and for the world. I have been waiting for this moment for so long—I can barely breathe,” she said.
Upon their return, the freed hostages described harrowing conditions in captivity. They said they were split into two groups and held in underground tunnels, where they struggled to breathe, endured severe food shortages, and were subjected to near-constant bombardment.