Who are the Israeli and Thai hostages just released by Hamas?

Since October 7, 2023, three Israeli hostages and five Thai nationals held by Hamas in Gaza have been released. Among them, 20-year-old Israeli soldier Agam Berger was reunited with her family at a military base in southern Israel after being handed over to the Red Cross by armed Palestinian fighters in Jabalia, northern Gaza.

Approximately two hours later, another handover took place in the southern city of Khan Yunis. 29-year-old Israeli civilian Arbel Yehud and 80-year-old Gadi Moses were filmed being escorted into Red Cross vehicles by fighters. Subsequently, the Israeli military announced that they, along with five Thai hostages, had been transferred to Israeli forces in Gaza before being taken to Israel.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released the names of the Thai nationals, who are agricultural workers Pongsak Thaenna, Sathian Suwannakham, Watchara Sriaoun, Bannawat Saethao, and Surasak Lamnao.

According to a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, 110 Palestinians were also released on Thursday in exchange for Israeli hostages. The release of the Thai nationals was not part of this agreement, which went into effect on January 19. The agreement is expected to see a total of 33 Israeli hostages released in the first six-week phase, in exchange for approximately 1,900 Gazan Palestinian prisoners and detainees held by Israel. So far, 10 Israeli hostages have been released, including 5 civilians (4 of whom are women) and 5 female soldiers.

Around 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage to Gaza during the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. This sparked a large-scale Israeli military offensive in Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of over 47,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Among those released was Arbel Yehud, who was kidnapped from her home in Nir Oz in southern Israel during the October 7 attack; her partner Ariel Cunio and his brother David Cunio remain in captivity. Yehud’s brother, Dolev Yehud, was initially believed to have been kidnapped, but Israeli authorities declared him dead after his remains were identified. Yehud worked at the Eshkol Regional Council’s Center for Technology, Science, and Space. Upon her release, her family expressed being “overwhelmed with emotion” and added that their “mission is not over” until all hostages are released, and they will not cease their efforts.

80-year-old Gadi Moses was also kidnapped from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz, where he worked as an agricultural expert. His partner, Efrat Katz, was killed in the attack. His family had stated that they had received no information about him since he appeared in a Hamas propaganda video in December 2023. Upon his release, Gadi said, "I will do everything I can to rebuild Nir Oz."

20-year-old soldier Agam Berger was kidnapped from the Nahal Oz military base on the Gaza border. According to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, she served as an observer at the base, having arrived two days before the October 7 attack. Pongsak Thaenna, 35, is from Buriram province in northeastern Thailand and has been working in agriculture in Israel for over six years. Before his abduction, Pongsak posted a live video on Facebook where gunshots and explosions could be heard. His father, Wilas, cried after receiving the call about his release on Thursday, stating "I never thought this day would come."

Sathian Suwannakham, from Nong Bua Lamphu province in northeastern Thailand, was 34 years old when he was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023. His mother said that he had been a monk for several years after finishing elementary school and had worked in Israel for four years before the Hamas attack. Watchara Sriaoun, from Udon Thani province in northeastern Thailand, is 33 years old and a father. His family said that he and his younger brother had worked in the agricultural sector in Israel for three years to pay off family debts. Bannawat Saethao, from Nan province in northern Thailand, was 27 years old when he was kidnapped in the October 7 attack. His wife said that he had gone to work in Israel for nine months and had taken out a loan of more than 100,000 baht to cover travel expenses. Surasak Lamnao, from Udon Thani province in northeastern Thailand, is 32 years old. Like Sathian Suwannakham, Surasak's mother only confirmed his abduction when a released Thai hostage told her he was being held captive.

Hostages already released in the January ceasefire include Agam Berger's colleagues Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, and Naama Levy. Four other Israeli female soldiers were released by Hamas on January 25 in exchange for Israel releasing 200 Palestinian prisoners. Karina Ariev was serving at the Nahal Oz army base when she was kidnapped on October 7, 2023. Naama Levy was filmed being tied up in a jeep with her hands bound behind her back. Daniella Gilboa was injured in the leg when she was kidnapped in Nahal Oz. Liri Albag had just begun her military training as an army lookout when Hamas attacked the Nahal Oz base on October 7, 2023. The first group of hostages released on January 19 were Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari.

Romi Gonen was captured while trying to flee the Nova music festival, which was attacked by militants on October 7, 2023. Doron Steinbrecher was kidnapped from her apartment in Kibbutz Kfar Aza, near the northwestern border of Gaza, during the Hamas attack. Emily Damari was shot in the hand and taken to Gaza during the attack, and her dog was also shot. Before the ceasefire, Israel stated that 94 hostages were still unaccounted for, but they believed only 60 were still alive. In the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, 26 Israeli hostages were expected to be transferred. Israel said that 8 of them had died, citing a list provided by Hamas that provided information about the hostages' conditions.