Thai Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara said today that the 23 Thai hostages taken in Israel are being held by Hamas and other militant groups. As such, negotiations must be held with multiple captors.

He also said that he was surprised to be told, during his separate meetings with the foreign ministers of Qatar, Egypt and Iran last weekend, that the Thai people in Israel are “businessmen”.

He said he informed them that they are, in fact, poor labourers from Thailand who went to Israel to work on farms, to make money to send home to their families.

The foreign minister said he sought help from his counterparts to secure the quick release of Thai hostages, but was told that fighting continues in Gaza and they asked the Thai government to openly call for a ceasefire, which they believe may increase the chances of an early release of Thai hostages.

He said he felt relieved when the Qatari foreign minister told him that Thai hostages might be the first group to be released by Hamas, adding that he has asked his foreign counterparts to inform Thai embassies in their countries so they can send officials to pick up them up.

He believes that Thai hostages may be released at the Rafah crossing on the Egyptian border.