The Israeli military has recovered the body of Nattapong Pinta, a Thai hostage who was held in Gaza since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed this development.
- Advertisement -
Mr. Pinta’s body was in the possession of a Palestinian militant group known as the Mujahedeen Brigades, and it was retrieved from the Rafah area in southern Gaza, according to Mr. Katz.
As an agricultural worker, Mr. Pinta was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz, a small community near the border, where one in four residents were either killed or taken hostage during the attacks led by Hamas in 2023. In the words of local officials, the community has experienced “unprecedented loss,” with 117 residents reported dead and over 60% of its homes destroyed.
In a related note, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently acknowledged that Israel has been providing support to an armed group in Gaza that opposes Hamas. This admission followed remarks from a former minister alleging that Israel transferred weapons to this group. “It’s imperative for our security,” Netanyahu emphasized, asserting the necessity of their actions for safeguarding lives.
Reports from both Israeli and Palestinian media suggest that this group is affiliated with a local Bedouin tribe led by Yasser Abu Shabab. The European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) has characterized Abu Shabab as the head of a “criminal gang operating in the Rafah area, widely accused of looting aid trucks.” Furthermore, ex-defense minister and Knesset member Avigdor Lieberman pointedly remarked to the Kan public broadcaster, “What did Lieberman leak? … That we activated clans in Gaza that oppose Hamas based on security advice. What is wrong with that?”
“It is only good, it is saving lives of Israeli soldiers,” Netanyahu stated in a video on social media, emphasizing the strategic importance of these alliances.
Michael Milshtein, an expert on Palestinian affairs at the Moshe Dayan Center in Tel Aviv, described the Abu Shabab clan as part of a Bedouin tribe that straddles the border between Gaza and Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. He noted that some members of this tribe engage in a variety of criminal activities, including drug smuggling and other illicit endeavors.
Israeli army spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin confirmed the military’s support for arming local militias in Gaza but refrained from going into further detail. During a televised press conference, he stated, “We are operating in various ways against Hamas governance,” reiterating the complexities surrounding the ongoing situation.
As these developments unfold, one thing remains clear: the region is experiencing tumultuous times, with lives caught in a battle far beyond their control. The hope for peace remains profound yet challenging.
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International—Monitoring.
