Thai Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara broke down in tears when he met fellow Thais released to Israel by Hamas after seven weeks of captivity and said on Wednesday he hoped for freedom soon for the remaining 13 hostages.
Thai Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and Israeli Health Minister Uriel Bosso meet Thai citizens who were released from the Gaza Strip after being taken hostage by gunmen from Palestinian Islamist militant group Hamas during the deadly October 7 attack on Israel © Assaf Harofeh/Handout via Reuters
Thai Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara broke down in tears when he met fellow Thais released to Israel by Hamas after seven weeks of captivity and said on Wednesday he hoped for freedom soon for the remaining 13 hostages.
Another two Thai workers were set free on Tuesday, bringing the total released to 19. With their arrival at Shamir Medical Center, the workers embraced one another. "We survived! We survived!" they cheered, and one was seen wiping away tears.
"We are no one's enemy," Parnpree said in a Reuters interview later on Wednesday after being moved to tears when he met the workers on Tuesday. He said there were no conditions for their release.
Parnpree held talks with his counterparts in several Middle Eastern countries with Hamas contacts. He said they remain in contact with him and send him updates about the release of hostages even before the news breaks.
Juarawee Kittisilpa
Israel killed a commander of the Palestinian militant group Hamas in an airstrike on southern Lebanon on Friday, further testing a ceasefire that halted last year's war between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah group.
Turkey wants no confrontation with Israel in Syria after repeated Israeli attacks on military sites there undermined the new government's ability to deter threats, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told Reuters on Friday.
Israeli troops moved into an area of northern Gaza to expand what they call a security zone around the edge of the enclave, the military said on Friday, days after the government announced plans to seize large areas with an operation in the south.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.