Israel claims to have recovered of body of Thai citizen from Gaza

Israeli authorities claimed Saturday that the body of Thai citizen Natfong Pinta was recovered from the Gaza Strip, Anadolu reports.

In a statement, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said the operation took place in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Friday, claiming that the hostage was killed in captivity.

Israeli estimates suggest that 59 captives remain in Gaza, with 24 believed to be alive.

In contrast, around 10,000 Palestinians remain imprisoned in Israel under harsh conditions, including reports of torture, starvation, and medical neglect, according to both Palestinian and Israeli rights organizations.

Israel, rejecting international calls for a ceasefire, has pursued a genocidal offensive in Gaza since October 2023, killing nearly 54,700 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Aid agencies have warned about the risk of famine among the enclave’s more than 2 million inhabitants.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war crimes against civilians in the enclave.

READ: 4 Israeli soldiers killed, 5 injured in southern Gaza Strip, Israeli media reports