Türkiye facilitates release of Thai workers in Gaza

ANKARA

Türkiye’s intelligence organization, upon an instruction by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has played an active role in the release of four Thai workers who have been taken hostage by Hamas since Oct. 7, the security sources have informed.

Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT) has been involved in the exchange of Israeli and foreign hostages in return for the Palestinian prisoners upon the instruction of Erdoğan on Nov. 25.

Israel and Hamas agreed to exchange Palestinian prisoners with Israeli and foreign hostages after an intense diplomacy carried out by Qatar and Egypt. But, on Nov. 25, Hamas refused to release hostages on the grounds that Israel did not allow the flow of agreed number of trucks into Gaza.

With the resolution of the problem, Hamas released 13 Israelis as agreed with Israel. However, following Erdoğan’s intervention and by the actions taken by MİT President İbrahim Kalın, Hamas did release four Thai nationals as well. Hamas also confirmed the Turkish role in the release.

The workers were among about 30,000 Thais employed mostly in Israel’s agricultural sector. According to Thailand’s Foreign Ministry, 39 were killed in the Oct. 7 attacks. More than 8,600 workers have been voluntarily repatriated since the attacks, the Labor Ministry said.

Türkiye has had contact with Hamas’ political leadership since the crisis begun in the Middle East on Oct. 7. The Turkish government has been calling on both sides to protect the lives of civilians and release the hostages.

President Erdoğan had already said the Turkish MİT was also in dialogue with the Israeli counterpart although Ankara has withdrawn its ambassador from Tel Aviv.

Türkiye continues efforts on Gaza

In addition, Ankara is also closely collaborating with Egypt for the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza and the evacuation of Palestinian patients and foreign nationals from the enclave.

The Turkish authorities last week evacuated 61 patients and 49 companions from Gaza to Egypt, with plans to transport the patients to the capital Ankara via plane, according to a statement by Health Minister Fahrettin Koca.

Türkiye's Defense Ministry also allocated another plane to evacuate a total of 109 Gaza patients who are set to receive treatment in Türkiye. The aircraft, which departed from the central province of Kayseri, carried 10 medical personnel onboard.

Some 27 Gazan patients and their companions have been transferred to Türkiye for treatment. Two military planes, departing from el-Arish airport in Egypt, landed at Esenboğa Airport in Ankara on Nov. 16.