Israel on Saturday mentioned it had recovered the physique of a Thai hostage taken into Gaza through the Hamas-led assault on October 7, 2023.The announcement got here as preventing intensified, with Gaza well being officers reporting at the very least 95 extra Palestinians killed previously 24 hours.The Thai hostage was recognized as Nattapong Pinta, who had travelled to Israel to work in agriculture and was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz through the October assault that sparked the continuing battle.Israel mentioned his physique was recovered within the Rafah space of southern Gaza. Authorities consider he was killed early within the battle.Pinta’s stays had been reportedly retrieved in an operation towards the Mujahideen Brigades, a small armed group which had taken duty for a number of hostages. The Israeli navy additionally mentioned it killed the group’s chief, As’advert Aby Sharaiya, in a separate strike in Gaza Metropolis.In keeping with Thailand’s international ministry, two extra Thai residents are nonetheless unaccounted for. Thailand had one of many highest numbers of international nationals kidnapped within the Hamas assault, with many Thai employees employed on farms close to Israel’s southern border. Not less than 46 Thai nationals have died through the battle, the ministry mentioned.Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant confirmed the retrieval. Fifty-five hostages are believed to stay in Gaza. Israel says greater than half of them are not alive.Households of hostages gathered once more in Tel Aviv on Saturday night, urging the Israeli authorities to succeed in a ceasefire settlement and safe the discharge of these nonetheless held.In the meantime, Israeli airstrikes continued throughout Gaza, with studies of whole households being killed. One strike in Gaza Metropolis killed six members of a household, together with two kids, in accordance with medical doctors at Shifa and al-Ahli hospitals. One other strike in northern Gaza reportedly killed seven folks, together with a mom and 5 kids.The battle has left over 54,000 Palestinians lifeless, in accordance with Gaza’s well being ministry. Israel says its actions are in response to the October 7 assaults, which killed round 1,200 folks, principally civilians, and led to the kidnapping of 251 hostages. Solely eight have been rescued alive to this point.
