Israeli Interior Minister Moshe Arbel has granted residency status to the five Thai hostages released from Hamas captivity in Gaza on Jan. 30, Hebrew media reported on Sunday.
Thaenna Pongsak, Sathian Suwannakhan, Sriaoun Watchara, Saethao Bannawat and Rumnao Surasak were among 31 foreign workers from Thailand who were kidnapped by Hamas-led terrorists during the Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border assault on agricultural communities in Israel’s south.
The five were handed over by Hamas to a team of the International Committee of the Red Cross on Jan. 30 as part of the ceasefire deal with Jerusalem, before being escorted back to the Jewish state by Israeli security forces.
The Interior Ministry’s decision grants the former hostages the right to remain in the country and work if they wish to do so after an initial recovery period at Shamir Medical Center in Be’er Ya’akov, according to Kan News.
On Sunday, Arbel met with Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa, who traveled to Israel to meet with the citizens who were released from Gaza, according to the report. Arbel told Sangiampongsa that an Israeli delegation had left for Thailand to examine new ways of cooperation.
Sangiampongsa also met with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Sunday, Jerusalem’s top diplomat said. Sa’ar thanked Sangiampongsa “for the close cooperation in securing their release from cruel captivity in Gaza” and said he told his Thai counterpart that “both our nations were overjoyed last Thursday to see their freedom restored.”
“We will strengthen Israeli-Thai relations and I look forward to working closely together,” added Sa’ar.
At least one living Thai hostage, Pinta Nattapong, 35, remains in Hamas captivity, alongside two Thai citizens who were murdered and whose bodies are being held by the terror group. Rintalak Suttisak, 43, and Sahaot Banawat, 30, were both killed and kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri on Oct. 7, 2023.
