Israeli Forces Recover Body of Last Thai Hostage from Gaza

Israeli forces have recovered the body of Thai agricultural worker Nattapong Pinta, who was abducted alive by Hamas-led militants from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7, 2023, attack and murdered in captivity by the Mujahideen Brigades. Precise intelligence obtained from a Shin Bet interrogation of a detained Palestinian operative enabled the IDF and ISA to locate and retrieve Pinta's body during a special operation in Rafah, southern Gaza. Pinta was the last unaccounted-for Thai hostage, and his family was notified in coordination with Thai and Israeli authorities. The Nir Oz community suffered heavy losses in the attack, with 117 residents killed and more than 60% of homes destroyed. Israeli officials reiterated their commitment to recovering all hostages, both living and deceased, expressing condolences to Pinta's family and the Thai people. With this operation, the bodies of several other Israeli-American hostages have also been recovered, while 20 hostages are believed to remain alive in Gaza.