Thai Muslim leader slams reports of compatriots backing Israel in Gaza: ‘stab in the back’

Syed Sulaiman Husaini, who is involved in talks with Hamas in Iran to free at least 24 Thais being held hostage by the Palestinian militant group, urged Bangkok to repatriate all its citizens in Israel to prevent the issue from becoming an intractable problem.

Sulaiman in a Facebook post claimed Thai mercenaries have joined forces with the Israeli Defence Force in their battle against Hamas.

The Shia cleric also said the move could be perceived as Thailand siding with Israel and stabbing the Muslim world in the back.

‘Peace only on paper’: Gaza war sharpens Arab world’s grievances against Israel

His comments came after a photo of a Thai citizen purportedly working with Israeli troops on the front lines went viral on social media.

Thai Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara said the image appeared to be of a Thai-Israeli dual national reservist who was drafted into the military following the war that broke out on October 7.

Israel said 1,200 people, many of them civilians, were killed and more than 230 hostages taken in the attack launched by Hamas from the Gaza Strip.

In response, the Israeli military has pounded Gaza, where the Hamas-controlled health ministry said more than 11,300 people, thousands of them children, have been killed.

Parnpree said he had sought more information from Thai officials in Tel Aviv, adding Thais holding dual citizenship may have joined Israel’s fight.

He also called on Thais employed in the war-hit nation to avoid getting involved in the conflict and denied they were working as paid mercenaries.

An estimated 500 Thai women, who are married to Israeli citizens, have children that hold dual nationality, The Thai Examiner reported.

Thai negotiators met Hamas officials in Tehran last month and were given a pledge that the captives would be released at the “right time”.

Hamas’ military wing on Monday said Israel was delaying a prospective Qatar-mediated deal to release dozens of hostages they are holding in Gaza as part of a prisoner swap scheme.

Political leaders and army chiefs in Israel have said there will be no ceasefire until the hostages are freed.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who said his government is working hard to bring the hostages home, recently accused Israel of offering more money to Thai workers to make them stay put.

Srettha urged all Thai workers to leave the war zone and pledged to help the returnees find employment opportunities.

Thirty-four Thai nationals have been killed in the conflict, and the kingdom has evacuated more than 8,000 of its citizens on repatriation flights.

About 30,000 Thais work in Israel, mostly as agricultural labourers.