12 Thais killed, 8 wounded, 11 taken captive in Israel-Hamas violence

A further 8 Thais have been wounded and 11 taken captive since war erupted when Hamas launched a large-scale attack on Saturday

There are around 30,000 Thai workers in Israel, according to Bangkok’s labour ministry, many of them working in agriculture

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Israeli army artillary positioned towards Gaza near the border with the Palestinian territory. Photo: AFP

Published: 6:26pm, 9 Oct 2023Updated: 9:11pm, 9 Oct 2023

Twelve people from Thailand have been killed in the conflict between Israel and Hamas militants, the kingdom’s government said on Monday, as it prepared a plan to evacuate its citizens.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Kanchana Patarachoke said that the Thai embassy in Israel learned of the deaths from the victims’ employers.

She said a further eight Thais had been wounded and 11 taken captive since the war erupted when Hamas launched a large-scale attack on Saturday.

There are around 30,000 Thai workers in Israel, according to Bangkok’s labour ministry, many of them working in agriculture.

Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said there were around 5,000 Thai labourers working in the areas hit by fighting who were being moved to safety.

The Gaza Strip annual season of collecting red dates, one of the most important products of the agricultural sector, in which thousands of Thais work. Photo: EPA-EFE

Labour minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said Israeli forces had begun to move about 5,000 Thais working in the danger zones to safety.