TEHRAN: Iran said Saturday it helped broker the surprise release of Thai nationals who had been held by Palestinian militants in war-ravaged Gaza since their shock attack on Israel last month.
On Friday, Hamas unexpectedly released 10 Thais and a Filipino, along with the 13 Israeli women and children that were part of a temporary truce deal with Israel.
Israel in turn freed 39 Palestinian women and children from its prisons.
“The issue of Thai prisoners was jointly pursued by the Islamic Republic of Iran and Qatar,” Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani told the official IRNA news agency.
The releases took place as a temporary truce paused fighting in Gaza for the first time since October 7 when Hamas gunmen attacked southern Israel, killing at least 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and taking 240 more hostage, according to Israeli figures.
Israel has responded with a withering bombing campaign on Gaza, that has killed more than 15,000 people, most of them women and children, according to the Hamas-run government.
“A list of names of these prisoners was given to Hamas officials to review and assist with the issue from a humanitarian perspective,” Kanani added.
The Thai foreign ministry confirmed the releases on Saturday, saying the 10 individuals — nine men and one woman — had been taken to Israel via Egypt.
It added that roughly 20 Thais are among the estimated 215 people still held hostage in Gaza.
During the four-day truce, Hamas is expected to free a total of 50 Israeli hostages, some of them dual nationals, in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners, under an agreement brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States.
On Thursday, Kanani welcomed the temporary truce as “the first step in the path of completely stopping war crimes committed... by the Zionist regime against Palestinian people.”
Iran, which supports Hamas financially and militarily, has hailed the October 7 attacks as a “success” but denied any direct involvement.
Tehran has made support for the Palestinian cause a centerpiece of its foreign policy since the 1979 Islamic revolution.
Iran says it helped broker release of Thais held in Gaza
https://arab.news/9qd63
Iran says it helped broker release of Thais held in Gaza
- On Friday, Hamas unexpectedly released 10 Thais and a Filipino
- “The issue of Thai prisoners was jointly pursued by the Islamic Republic of Iran and Qatar,” Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani told the official IRNA news agency
Palestinian PM: Gaza reconstruction advancing amid US talks, Saudi support
- In an interview with Arab News, Mohammed Mustafa said “Palestinian objective is clear,’ but we need to ‘get Gaza right first’
- Speaking at Davos panel, PM calls Kingdom a key stakeholder in the Palestinian cause
DAVOS: Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa told Arab News that progress is underway in Gaza’s reconstruction talks, with clear dialogue between the Palestinian Authority, US President Donald Trump and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff.
“I think the Palestinian objective is pretty clear, it has been for a long time, which is to establish their own independent state, (achieve) international resolution,” Mustafa said, noting that “we need to get Gaza right first.”
Despite a ceasefire taking hold earlier in 2025, Gaza remains under what the international community describes as an Israeli-enforced blockade. Basic supplies such as food and medicine are still subject to Tel Aviv’s scrutiny, which controls all access in and out of the Strip.
On Sunday, Trump announced that his Gaza plan had entered its second phase, in which Hamas would release all remaining hostages, Israel would free more Palestinian prisoners and fully withdraw its forces — a step international actors say should pave the way from ceasefire to lasting peace.
The formation of a technocratic National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, or NCAG, composed of Palestinian figures, marks the first concrete step toward implementing the plan and restoring Palestinian ownership of the next phase.
A precise timeline for reconstruction remains unclear, with analysts warning that major works hinge on Hamas disarmament — a politically fraught task assigned to the Gaza Peace Board.
“It’s going to take more than two years to fix Gaza, but at least we want to make sure that things are in the right direction,” continued Mustafa, adding that the West Bank remains part of the broader conversation.
He stressed the urgency of reunifying Gaza’s institutions with the West Bank to achieve the PA’s political goal of independence.
“Our priority is what’s happening to our people in Gaza today. Despite four months passing (after) the ceasefire, people are still dying. Yes, there is a ceasefire but it’s not fully observed due to Israeli military actions,” he said, stressing that “shelter is the biggest challenge” at the moment.
Mustafa revealed he held “very active and useful” talks with US officials on Tuesday, saying both sides “share the same goals” on the matter.
Later in his panel, Mustafa said a Palestinian reform plan is in the works with the help of partners including Saudi Arabia.
In a session at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Mustafa said Saudi Arabia and other partners such as Egypt and Jordan were not just contributors but key stakeholders in the Palestinian cause.
“Saudi Arabia along with France have been working with us on the two state solution and integrating it,” he said.
“We want to work with the board of peace to ensure that they do their part of things to prepare for reconstruction efforts,” he added.
Mustafa said although some view the Oslo treaty as outdated, it still holds its place as an internationally recognized framework.
“According to the Oslo agreement, Israel should have withdrawn from most of the West Bank and Gaza. We want to see Israel respecting this agreement,” he said.
“The Israelis did not respect the economic part of the treaty. We are praying for a heavy price, not only in Gaza and people being killed every day. But also actions on the ground in the West Bank. We said clearly, we want to achieve our goals by peaceful means,” he said.
“Israel today holds $4 billion of our government’s money. They control the borders and collect the tax fines. For the past four months they have sent zero dollars. Our ability to govern has been impacted due to this,” Mustafa said.
In a sideline interview with Arab News, Palestinian Ambassador to Switzerland Ibrahim Mohammad Khraishi said that he met an Egyptian minister who expressed hope that the Rafah crossing could soon reopen on both sides.
“We need the understanding from all,” Khraishi said. “Yes, we have this administrative committee (as part of the Gaza Peace Board), but without the Palestinian Authority, they cannot deliver. Because we have everything. We have the institutions, we have the government,” Khraisi said.
Commenting on recent West Bank developments, including Israeli bulldozers razing the UNRWA compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Tuesday, he warned: “This is the scenario for the Israelis. For them, there is nothing to talk about. It’s total crash and destruction. Now, what they are doing in West Bank is on the way.”
