Body of Thai hostage found in Gaza, confirms Israeli military
After months of waiting in anguish, the family of Thai hostage Nattapong Pinta has received the heartbreaking news they feared most — his body was recovered in Gaza by Israeli forces.
The body of Thai national Nattapong Pinta, who was abducted during the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel, has been recovered in southern Gaza, Israel's Defence Minister, Israel Katz, announced on Saturday.
Nattapong was held by the Mujahedeen Brigades, a Palestinian militant group operating in Gaza. His body was retrieved on Friday (June 6) during a joint Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet operation in the city of Rafah, which used intelligence gathered by Israel’s security agencies. His family in Thailand has been notified.
Nattapong, an agricultural worker, was taken hostage from Kibbutz Nir Oz, a small Israeli community near the Gaza border, where one in four residents was either killed or kidnapped during the October 7 assault — the deadliest day in Israel’s history, which left 1,200 people dead and 251 hostages taken.
The IDF confirmed that Nattapong had been abducted alive and later killed by his captors. He was among the hostages Israel had expressed grave concern for, though he had not officially been declared dead until now. The exact circumstances and timing of his death remain under investigation.
The Mujahedeen Brigades, a smaller faction in Gaza, has also been linked to the abduction and murder of Israeli hostages Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Ariel and Kfir, as well as the deaths of Gadi Haggai and Judih Weinstein, whose bodies were recovered earlier this week.
There has been no immediate response from the militant group.
According to Israeli officials, 55 hostages remain in Gaza, with 20 believed to be alive. In response to the Hamas-led attack, Israel launched a massive military campaign in Gaza, which has since killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, according to health authorities in the Hamas-run enclave. Much of Gaza is now in ruins, and over 2 million people have been displaced.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday expressed its profound sadness to the family of Natthapong Pinta, the last remaining Thai hostage, after the Royal Thai Embassy in Tel Aviv received official notification from Israeli government representatives regarding his passing on Friday.
Natthapong was one of three Thai hostages who remained in Gaza. The other two had been confirmed deceased in 2024, though their remains have not yet been recovered by Israeli authorities.
The Royal Thai Embassy has informed Natthapong's family and is working to repatriate his remains to Thailand as soon as possible, in accordance with the family's wishes.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs extended its deepest condolences once again to Natthapong's family during this difficult time.
Meanwhile, Israeli Ambassador to Thailand Orna Sagiv stated, "The State of Israel and the Israeli Embassy in Bangkok bow their heads and share in the grief of Khun Natthapong's family and the people of Thailand. Israel is making every possible effort to bring all the hostages home—both foreign nationals and Israelis alike."
