21-11-2023 (BANGKOK) Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has directed the Foreign Affairs Ministry to conduct a thorough fact-check on CCTV footage suggesting that Hamas militants transported a Thai citizen to a hospital in Gaza City following the Oct 7 massacre in southern Israel.
Despite no new reports of Hamas attacks, Prime Minister Srettha assured that the government remains committed to assisting Thais residing in Israel, particularly in the aftermath of the killings and abductions that occurred.
Dr Prommin Lertsuridej, the secretary-general to the Prime Minister, will oversee the mission to rescue Thai hostages currently held by Hamas in Gaza, as stated by the Prime Minister during an interview on Monday.
The development comes after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released CCTV footage and still images, purportedly showing Hamas fighters bringing two individuals, identified as Nepali and Thai, to Al-Shifa Hospital in the Gaza Strip on Oct 7.
The surveillance footage depicts injured victims being brought into the hospital on gurneys, indicating severe injuries allegedly inflicted by Hamas. One video captures a hostage with a wounded arm being forcefully escorted through the hospital’s main entrance, while another is dragged inside against their will.
Rear Adm Daniel Hagari, spokesperson for the IDF, presented the footage in a news conference on Sunday, revealing that Israeli intelligence officers found the CCTV footage as part of an operation to locate hostages. Hagari suggested that Hamas might have initially taken the pair for treatment before relocating them to concealed spots, possibly nearby apartments.
Contradicting the IDF’s claims, the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry questioned the authenticity of the surveillance footage and still images. Kanchana Patarachoke, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressed her belief that the Thai individual in the footage is still alive.
Negotiations for the release of the Thai hostages are ongoing, with Kanchana stating, “The government still has high hopes of them being safely released.” She added that despite the closure of the Collective Centre on Nov 4, requests for the return of Thai labourers from Israel are still being processed.
