Israeli officials have announced the recovery of the remains of Nattapong Pinta, a Thai national who was taken hostage during the Hamas-led assault in October 2023. The operation, led by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, took place in the Rafah region of southern Gaza on Friday. Nattapong, aged 35, was working as an agricultural laborer in southern Israel when he was abducted.
According to Israeli military sources, it is likely that he lost his life in the early months of his captivity, with no confirmation of his fate until now. Previously, reports indicated a general lack of information regarding his status. His recovery follows the retrieval of two bodies of Israeli Americans earlier this week.
Nattapong was a married father who had been supporting his family in Thailand while working at Kibbutz Nir Oz. His abduction was attributed to the Mujahideen Brigades, who have held him for nearly 20 months. The Israel Defense Forces stated that intelligence extracted from a detained militant led to the recovery operation.
In response to the news, a family member expressed grief through a photo text, provoking a heart-wrenching reminder of the family’s anguish. Activists from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum highlighted the prolonged suffering families have endured during the lengthy uncertainty.
Meanwhile, violence persists in the Gaza Strip, with recent incidents involving gunfire near a US-backed aid distribution center resulting in additional casualties among Palestinians.
Source: www.bbc.com
