A farewell ceremony was held Tuesday at Ben Gurion Airport for Natthapong Pinta, the Thai agricultural worker who was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, 2023, and later murdered while in Hamas captivity in Gaza. His coffin was flown back to Thailand following the ceremony, which was attended by Israel’s Coordinator for Hostages and Missing Persons, Brig. Gen. (res.) Gal Hirsch, who delivered remarks on behalf of the State of Israel.
We Will Always Act This Way
Hirsch said he had spoken with Pinta’s widow, extended condolences to his family, the people of Thailand, and the Nir Oz community, and shared the pain of Israel’s failure to bring him home alive.
“The IDF and Shin Bet, together with all state authorities, did everything in their power to bring him back. I apologized that we couldn’t return him home alive,” Hirsch said. He emphasized that Israeli authorities have supported the family since the outbreak of the war, and “we will always act this way.”
In closing, Hirsch reaffirmed Israel’s continued efforts to bring back all hostages—both the living and the dead: “Even at this very hour, we are working tirelessly to bring home all of our hostages—whether living or fallen.”
Natthapong Pinta’s Body Recovered During Special Operation
Pinta’s remains were returned to Israel during a complex IDF and Shin Bet operation deep inside the Gaza Strip. Like the mission that recovered the bodies of Gadi and Judy Weinstein, intelligence for the operation was obtained during the interrogation of a Hamas militant, who revealed the burial site. Forensics confirmed the identity of the remains, which were then repatriated.
Closure After 20 Months
Natthapong Pinta, born in 1988, was married and the father of a young child. He worked in agriculture at Kibbutz Nir Oz and was abducted alive during the October 7 terrorist attack. The rescue mission that located and recovered his body was described by officials as precise and complex, made possible by close cooperation among the IDF, Shin Bet, and additional intelligence agencies.
Progress Toward Hostage Deal
Earlier Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video message on social media addressing ongoing hostage negotiations: “There’s been significant progress. I think it’s too early to give hope, but we’re working around the clock—all the time. I hope we can move forward.”
Hostage Families Demand Action
Hostages Square in Tel Aviv | Photo: Tomer Neuberg/Flash90
The Hostage Families Forum responded with cautious frustration: “At this moment, while the Prime Minister is once again updating the media about ‘significant progress’ in negotiations, we remind him: there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. A comprehensive agreement is already on the table. He could sign it tomorrow morning—if he chooses to.”
They continued: “The overwhelming majority of Israelis want a deal to bring everyone home—55 hostages, men and women alike—even at the cost of a ceasefire. No categories, no cruel divisions, no discrimination between lives.”
“The families are exhausted from spin and deception. They are yearning for good news and hoping the Prime Minister will find the courage to choose the only course that can secure an Israeli victory and a path to national healing.”
