Israel-Gaza battle: Thai hostage Nattapong Pinta’s body recovered; 95 Palestinians killed in fresh strikes

Photo supplied by the Hostage’s Family Forum reveals Nattapong Pinta, together with his spouse and son (Image: AP)

Israel on Saturday stated it had recovered the body of a Thai hostage taken into Gaza throughout 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 in the previous 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 throughout the October assault that sparked the continuing struggle.Israel stated his body was recovered in the Rafah space of southern Gaza. Authorities imagine he was killed early in the struggle.Pinta’s stays have been reportedly retrieved in an operation in opposition to the Mujahideen Brigades, a small armed group which had taken duty for a number of hostages. The Israeli navy additionally stated it killed the group’s chief, As’advert Aby Sharaiya, in a separate strike in Gaza City.According to Thailand’s international ministry, two extra Thai residents are nonetheless unaccounted for. Thailand had one of many highest numbers of international nationals kidnapped in the Hamas assault, with many Thai employees employed on farms close to Israel’s southern border. At least 46 Thai nationals have died throughout the battle, the ministry stated.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 now not alive.Families 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.Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes continued throughout Gaza, with reviews of whole households being killed. One strike in Gaza City killed six members of a household, together with two youngsters, based on medical doctors at Shifa and al-Ahli hospitals. Another strike in northern Gaza reportedly killed seven folks, together with a mom and 5 youngsters.The struggle has left over 54,000 Palestinians lifeless, based on 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. Only eight have been rescued alive to this point.