By: Fern Sidman

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel Security Agency (ISA) announced on Saturday the successful recovery of the body of Thai national Nattapong Pinta from the Rafah area in southern Gaza. The operation marked a grim but determined step in Israel’s ongoing efforts to locate and retrieve hostages taken by Hamas and affiliated terror groups during the October 7, 2023, massacre.

As reported by Israel National News, Pinta was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz by operatives of the Mujahideen Brigade, a terrorist group aligned with Hamas. He had traveled to Israel as a foreign agricultural worker in hopes of building a better future for his family in Thailand. Instead, he became one of the victims of the bloodiest terror attack on Israeli soil in recent history.

According to an official IDF statement cited by Israel National News, Nattapong Pinta was taken alive by Mujahideen terrorists during the coordinated onslaught launched by Hamas and its allies on October 7. He was subsequently murdered while in captivity.

“Yesterday (Friday), in a joint IDF and ISA operation, the body of Nattapong Pinta, a Thai national, was recovered from the Rafah area in the Gaza Strip,” the military confirmed. “He was abducted alive by terrorists of the Mujahideen terrorist organization and was murdered while in captivity by the murderous terrorist organization.”

The recovery of Pinta’s remains was made possible through a meticulous intelligence operation. As the report at Israel National News detailed, key information was obtained during the interrogation of a captured terrorist, supplemented by data from the IDF’s Hostage Task Force and the Intelligence Directorate.

Following the successful recovery, a thorough identification procedure was conducted by Israel’s National Institute of Forensic Medicine. The IDF coordinated with the Israel Police, the Hostage Task Force, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to verify Pinta’s identity.

His family in Thailand, along with the community of Kibbutz Nir Oz where he had worked, was notified promptly. The government of Thailand was also informed through diplomatic channels.

“The IDF and ISA extend their condolences to the family,” the statement read. President Isaac Herzog echoed these sentiments, expressing Israel’s national grief and solidarity with the Thai people.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog issued a deeply emotional statement commemorating Pinta’s life and tragic death. As Israel National News quoted, Herzog said: “Pinta Nattapong left his wife, Narissara, and their young son, Wirapat, in Thailand to work in agriculture in Israel — hoping to give them a better future and fulfill their dream of opening a family coffee shop in Thailand. But that dream was tragically and painfully cut short when Nattapong was brutally abducted… and cruelly murdered in captivity.”

“The State of Israel shares in the deep sorrow of Nattapong’s family and of the entire Thai people,” Herzog added, urging renewed commitment to the release of all hostages.

The IDF emphasized that the Mujahideen Brigade has been responsible for the abduction and murder of several other hostages. Among them were Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas—an Israeli family whose plight galvanized international attention—as well as American-Israeli citizens Gad Haggai and Judi Lynn Weinstein.

As the Israel National News report highlighted, the Mujahideen group has also reportedly murdered and continues to hold the body of another foreign national. Israeli officials have vowed to leave no stone unturned in the mission to bring all hostages—living or deceased—home to their families.

“The IDF and ISA will continue to make all efforts possible to bring home all the hostages,” the military reaffirmed.

President Herzog concluded his remarks by reminding the public of the 55 hostages still held in captivity within Gaza, many of whom have been subjected to torture, abuse, or are feared dead.

“Fifty-five hostages are still being held in the hell of captivity in Gaza — in a horrific crime against humanity,” he said, as reported by Israel National News. “We must continue doing everything possible to bring every one of them home immediately, until the last!”

The recovery of Nattapong Pinta’s body brings somber closure to one family’s agonizing ordeal, while underscoring the profound challenges that remain in Israel’s broader mission. As the war continues and negotiations for hostage deals remain fragile, the story of Pinta—an innocent foreign worker brutally murdered in the pursuit of a better life—serves as a tragic symbol of the October 7th attack’s international scope and enduring impact.