A grim discovery in Gaza has brought an end to the search for a missing Thai worker. Nattapong Pintathong, 35, was taken hostage by the militant group Kata’ib al-Mujahideen during a brutal attack on southern Israel last October. His body was recently recovered in the Rafah area of Gaza.
Israel’s embassy in Thailand expressed deep regret over Nattapong’s death. The embassy stated that the Israeli military, in cooperation with the Israel Security Agency, had retrieved Nattapong’s body and returned it to Israel.
Nattapong was a husband and father who had been working in agriculture at Kibbutz Nir Oz to support his family in Thailand. He was seized by militants while still alive, but it’s now confirmed that he was killed while being held captive.
The operation to recover Nattapong’s body was led by the Gaza Division, under the command of the Southern Command of the Israeli Defense Forces, and coordinated with the Center for Missing and Captive Persons. Intelligence gathered by the Israel Security Agency, including information from interrogated militants and IDF intelligence units, led to a rescue mission.
The Israeli government has officially informed Nattapong’s family, the Thai government through Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the community of Nir Oz about the sad news. Israel’s ambassador to Thailand, Orna Sagiv, expressed her condolences to Nattapong’s family and the Thai people, stating that Israel will continue to work tirelessly to bring all hostages home, regardless of their nationality.
The militant group responsible for Nattapong’s kidnapping and murder, Kata’ib al-Mujahideen, is also believed to be holding the bodies of other civilians, including Israeli and foreign nationals. The Israeli military and security agencies remain committed to recovering all remaining hostages and bringing them back home.
The Center for Missing and Captive Persons, together with IDF intelligence, continues to systematically search for all hostages, using advanced surveillance technology and analyzing intelligence gathered from various sources.