Israeli Military Recovers Body of Thai hostage in Gaza

‍ Updated June 7, 2025
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the Israeli military has recovered the body of Nattapong Pinta, a Thai national who was ‍held hostage in Gaza⁤ as the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, according⁢ to Defense Minister Israel Katz.

Katz said Pinta’s body was held ⁤by the⁢ Mujahedeen Brigades, a Palestinian militant group, and was⁣ found in the Rafah area of southern Gaza. Pinta, an agricultural worker, was abducted from Kibbutz Nir oz, near the Gaza border. The community suffered heavy losses in the October attack.

The military alleges that Pinta⁤ was abducted alive and later killed by his captors. The bodies of two other Israeli-American hostages, also allegedly killed by the same group, were recovered earlier this week.

Military officials said Pinta’s family and Thai authorities have been notified.

Nir ‍Oz reported that 117 residents‍ were killed and over 60% of it’s homes‍ were‍ destroyed in the initial attack.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently⁢ admitted that Israel is supporting certain armed groups within Gaza that oppose Hamas. This acknowledgment follows‍ reports that Israel has been providing weapons to a Bedouin ⁣tribe led by yasser Abu Shabab.

The European Council on Foreign Relations describes Abu ⁤Shabab as the head⁣ of a ‍”criminal gang operating in the Rafah area that ⁢is widely accused of looting aid trucks.”

Ex-Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman told Kan public broadcaster that the goverment,under Netanyahu’s direction,was “giving weapons to a group of criminals and felons.”

“What did Lieberman leak? … That on the advice of security officials, we activated clans in Gaza ⁤that oppose Hamas. What ⁤is bad about⁢ that?” Netanyahu said in a video. “It is only good, it is⁢ saving lives of Israeli soldiers.”

Michael Milshtein,an expert on Palestinian affairs at the Moshe Dayan Center in Tel Aviv,noted that the Abu Shabab clan is part of a Bedouin tribe with members on both sides of the Gaza-Egypt border. He added that some members are involved in criminal activities such as drug smuggling.

Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, an Israeli army spokesman, confirmed the military’s support for arming local militias in Gaza but declined to provide specific ‍details. “I can say that we are operating in various ways against Hamas ⁤governance,” Defrin said.

What’s ⁣next

The situation remains fluid as Israel continues its ‍operations in Gaza and navigates the complex relationships with various factions within the territory. Further developments are expected regarding the ongoing ⁢investigation into the deaths of ‍the hostages and Israel’s strategy in supporting anti-Hamas elements.