Thai officials held direct talks with Hamas in Iran last week over the fate of 22 of the kingdom’s nationals taken hostage by the Palestinian terror group in its assault on Israel, the head of a Thai delegation says.
Negotiators met Hamas officials in Tehran on October 26 and were given a pledge that the Thais would be released at the “right time,” Areepen Uttarasin tells reporters in Bangkok.
Areepen, who led the three-person team appointed by the speaker of the Thai parliament, says they held a two-hour meeting with Hamas members in Iran.
“I asked them to release them because they are innocent,” he says.
“They assured me that they were taking good care of them, but they couldn’t tell me the release date… They were waiting for the right time.”
He says after the talks the Thai team — all Muslims — prayed with the Hamas representatives.
“They acknowledged our concerns because they know that Thailand has offered kindness and benefits to the Muslim community… They respect Thailand,” Areepan says.
About 30,000 Thais were working in Israel, mostly in the agriculture sector, according to the kingdom’s labor ministry.
Thirty-two Thai nationals were killed and 19 wounded in the October 7 Hamas assault that killed some 1,400 people, mostly civilians. More than 240 people were taken hostage to Gaza.
