The father and mother of a Thai citizen, who was held hostage by Hamas while working in Israel during the ongoing fighting with the Israeli army, show two photos of him during an interview conducted by Reuters with them at their home in Thailand on October 10, 2023. Photography: Thomas Swain – Reuters. reuters_tickers
This content was published on November 3, 2023 – 12:42 July, November 3, 2023 – 12:42
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Veteran Thai politician Aribin Uttarasin said on Friday that he held direct talks with the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) to seek the safe release of Thai hostages held by the movement in Gaza, amid a wave of diplomatic efforts undertaken by the Thai government.
Aribin said that the talks, which lasted for approximately two hours, took place in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on October 26, and that Hamas officials said that the Thai hostages were safe and well cared for.
He refused to mention the names of Hamas officials whom he said he met. “I told them that I came not to negotiate, but simply to ask for their release,” he said.
The Thai government has not yet confirmed direct talks with Hamas, but said it is seeking to free the hostages through various channels.
Foreign Minister Barnbury Bahida Nokara said on Friday that Thailand is communicating with Iran and other governments in the region that could have contacts with Hamas, including Qatar and Egypt.
Barnbury, who visited the Middle East earlier this week, added that Iran is close to Hamas and has promised to help in the negotiations.
At least 23 Thais were among more than 240 people taken hostage when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, the bloodiest day in Israel’s 75-year history.
Of the more than 1,400 people Israel says were killed in the attack, there are at least 32 Thais.
About 30,000 Thais work in Israel, most of them in the agricultural sector, and 7,200 of them have been returned to their country since the attack, according to the Foreign Ministry.
(Prepared by Suha Jado and Amira Zahran for the Arab Bulletin – Edited by Mahmoud Salama)
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2023-11-03 11:42:07
