Israeli President Isaac Herzog looks on during a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, not pictured, in Washington, DC, on Oct. 25, 2022. Stefani Reynolds/Pool via REUTERS

i24 News – President Isaac Herzog met Thailand’s Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem on Sunday, following the release of five Thai foreign workers who were held in Gazan captivity for more than 480 days.

Herzog stressed Israel’s commitment to the release of all hostages, including the Thai and other foreign nationals held in the Gaza Strip after their abduction on Octobe 7, 2023.

“They are our brothers,” Herzog said. “Everywhere we went, in all the villages that we visited that were attacked on October 7, there were pictures and signs of the Thai workers along with the Israelis held in brutal captivity by Hamas in Gaza.”

Herzog said that Israel’s objective is to complete the hostage deal fully and release all hostages, including in the second phase and beyond.

Sangiampongsa thanked the President on behalf of the Thai government, “to say how much we appreciate the collaboration and assistance that the Government of Israel extended to the Government of Thailand. I met the returned hostages yesterday. Physically they are doing well but we cannot know yet the damage caused by being held captive for over a year. They were held in tunnels, and we worry for their mental and physical well-being.”

The close cooperation “is an opportunity to promote a stronger link between our peoples, to radiate a message of love between our nations, and to greatly increase the cooperation between us, government to government, people to people,” he added.