Five held in Gaza released by Hamas

Five Thai farm workers who were abducted during the 7 October attacks by Hamas on Israel have been released after being held for almost 500 days in Gaza.

They were handed over to the Red Cross during chaotic scenes along with two Israelis, shortly after a first Israeli hostage was freed.

Pongsak Thaenna, Sathian Suwannakham, Watchara Sriaoun, Bannawat Saethao and Surasak Lamnao had all been working in southern Israel when they were kidnapped during the attacks in October 2023.

Thailand’s prime minister said she was elated to hear news of their release and her government was working with Israel “so that they can reunite with their families soonest”. One Thai hostage remains unaccounted for.

“The Thai government, including everyone here in Thailand, have long been waiting for this very moment,” PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra posted on social media.

“I hold on to my hope that the remaining Thai national will be released and returned to us safely and speedily.”

For the families of the released hostages, it was a day they had long been waiting for.

Wilas Thaenna wept after receiving a call to say his son Pongsak had been freed on Thursday.

“I never thought this day would come, everything has been too quiet for a while,” the 65-year-old told the BBC.

He revealed he had barely slept the night before, as he was so excited at the prospect of his son being released.

“I don’t know how to explain how I got through all that happened,” he continued.

“My son was taken captive, I lost my wife, I had to stay strong.

“First five or six months, I’ve lost so much weight. It was distressing, I didn’t have strength to do anything or go anywhere. I was worried all the time.

“When I see him, I’m going to give him a hug and tell him to come home.”

Wiwwaew Sriaoun also sobbed as it was confirmed her son Watchara had been released.

“The first thing I want to do is to hug my son and tell him I miss him very much,” she said. “His daughter, Nudee, was also happy. She has been praying every day for her daddy to return.”

She said all of Watchara’s relatives have come to her home in Udon Thani province to closely monitor the news.

“I’ve had hopes but I also lost hopes several times already,” she said, adding she received a call on Wednesday night but wasn’t sure if her son would still be alive. She too was unable to sleep, revealing to AFP news agency she and her husband had gone rubber tapping on their farm in the early hours of the morning.

Sirinna Suwannakham, the younger sister of freed hostage Sathian, said her family had only managed to keep the hope alive because they had no proof he had been killed.

“If he had died, we would have had a body to hold a ceremony,” she said. “But there was none. So we never lost hope. We always believed that my brother was still alive. We never gave up. We always waited for him to come home.”

The released hostages will now be taken to hospital in Israel, after being met by Thai government officials.

Thirty-one Thai workers were taken hostage in the October 2023 attacks, the Thai government has said previously. Another 39 were killed on the day.

The majority were released in November 2023, leaving just eight in Gaza, according to officials. It is believed two have since died, while the fate of the final hostage – Nattapong Pinta – is not known.

Nearly all of the foreign workers abducted during the attack were Thais. Israel employs some 30,000 of them as farm labour, making them one of the largest migrant groups in the country.

The release is part of a separate agreement between Hamas and the Thai government – it’s not part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal agreed on 19 January.