The Palestinian ambassador to Thailand has promised to help with efforts to secure the release of Thais being held by Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.

The Thai Foreign Ministry confirmed that at least 11 Thai workers are reported to have been kidnapped during the Hamas attacks on areas bordering the Gaza Strip on Saturday. It said 12 Thais were killed during the fighting.

Palestinian Ambassador Walid Abu Ali told Thai PBS World that he met this morning (Monday) with his Thai counterpart Ambassador Lada Phumas, who conveyed Thai Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara’s request for Palestine’s help for the Thai workers being held in the Gaza Strip.

“I promised the Thai ambassador that we will do our best, do as much as we can, to make sure that the Thai citizens are safe and are evacuated back to Thailand,” said Walid Abu Ali, who also serves as ambassador to Malaysia.

He noted that, since 2007, the Gaza Strip has been under the control of Hamas and that the Palestine Authority has no control over the territory.

“But we will do our best, because we consider the Thai-Palestinian relationship to be very important,” said Walid Abu Ali, who presented his credentials to HM the King as the new Palestinian ambassador to Thailand on Sunday.

The Palestine Authority, which administers the Palestinian territory in the West Bank, has no control over the Gaza Strip, which is under the jurisdiction of Hamas.

Ambassador Walid Abu Ali also warned that the Israeli settlements in areas bordering Israel and the Gaza Strip, where thousands of Thais work, are “risky areas”.

“The government and people of Thailand should know where they send their labour to work,” he said.

He said these settlements are considered illegal by the international community and “it would be risky” for Thai labour to work there.

Walid Abu Ali also said that the ongoing attacks by Hamas militants are in response to mounting Palestinian suffering under Israel’s occupation and blockade of Gaza. He also said that the only solution to the conflict is an end to Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territory.

Thailand is one of the over 130 countries that recognise Palestine. Thailand established diplomatic relations with Palestine in 2012.

In 2016, President of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, visited Thailand as a guest of the Prayut government. According to a statement from the Thai Foreign Ministry, the two leaders discussed the strengthening of relations and expansion of cooperation between Thailand and Palestine in economic, social and developmental areas.