The first 13 of at least 50 Israeli hostages are to be released by Hamas on Fri using a ceasefire decided with Israel before in the week. The Gaza-centered militant group of people also launched 10 Thai hostages included in a different dialogue deal by Bangkok.
Thai officials, including Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, had said that 12 Thai hostages were freed, but the Southeast Asian nation’s foreign ministry later corrected the previous announcement.
On the list of over 200 people from more than 40 nations abducted by Hamas given its Oct. 7 strike on Israel, no less than 30 had been Thai making up the individual largest group of foreign people on the list of hostages.