Israel Recovers Body of Slain Thai Farmworker in Gaza

Nattapong Pinta, a Thai farmworker abducted by a militant group in Gaza, has been identified and recovered by Israeli forces. His family, along with officials, highlight his role in the local community.

Israeli security forces announced on Saturday that they have retrieved the body of Nattapong Pinta, a Thai citizen who was taken hostage during the Hamas-led attacks on Israel in 2023. Pinta, who worked at Kibbutz Nir Oz, was kidnapped and subsequently killed by members of a small militant group known as the Mujahideen Brigades, according to statements from the Israeli military.

The operation to recover his body took place in the Rafah area of southern Gaza, aided by intelligence gathered during interrogations of Palestinian militants by Israel's Shin Bet domestic intelligence agency. During the Oct. 7, 2023 attack, many Thai farmworkers were taken hostage, with a number of them released during temporary cease-fires—23 were freed in November 2023, followed by five others in subsequent negotiations.

Israeli authorities believe that there are still two Thai citizens, Sonthaya Oakkharasri and Sudthisak Rinthalak, whose bodies remain in Gaza. In total, the current estimated number of hostages, both alive and deceased, stands at 55, with the Israeli government asserting that up to 23 are still believed to be alive.

During the operation to recover his remains, Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar communicated the details to his Thai counterpart, Maris Sangiampongsa. Pinta, who had been in Israel for over a year prior to his abduction, was described as a strong, community-oriented individual who served as a vital link between his fellow workers and their employers, as remarked by Josh Lawson from the Israeli Prime Minister’s office responsible for foreign hostages. His death has been a significant loss both for his family, which included a wife and son, and for the community at Kibbutz Nir Oz.