Israeli airstrikes on Gaza kill 45, body of Thai hostage retrieved

Israel's Defence Minister, Israel Katz, announced on Saturday that the body of Thai hostage Nattapong Pinta, abducted during Hamas' October 7, 2023 assault, has been recovered in Gaza, as Israeli airstrikes reportedly killed 45 people, according to local medics.

Pinta, an agricultural worker, was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz, a community near the Gaza border heavily impacted during the Hamas-led attack, which marked the start of the ongoing war. His remains were found in Rafah, southern Gaza, in territory controlled by the Mujahedeen Brigades, a Palestinian militant faction. His family in Thailand has been informed.

The Israeli military said Pinta was taken alive and later killed by his captors. They also reported recovering the remains of two Israeli-American hostages earlier this week and noted that the Mujahedeen Brigades are still holding the body of another foreign hostage.

There has been no immediate response from the Mujahedeen Brigades or Hamas. Israeli officials have also blamed the Brigades for the deaths of hostage Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, whose bodies were returned during a temporary ceasefire that ended in March after negotiations for a second phase failed.

Since then, Israel has intensified its military operations across Gaza amid stalled ceasefire talks involving the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt.

Medical personnel in Gaza said Israeli airstrikes on Saturday killed 45 people, including 15 in Gaza City’s Sabra district, where a multi-story residential building was struck, damaging nearby homes. The Israeli military later warned residents to evacuate nearby Jabalia, citing rocket launches from the area.

The Gaza Health Ministry reported that hospitals have only three days of fuel left and accused Israel of blocking international aid access to fuel storage sites intended for medical facilities. There has been no official response from the Israeli military or COGAT, the Israeli agency handling Palestinian humanitarian affairs.

Meanwhile, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a U.S.- and Israeli-backed aid organization, suspended humanitarian aid distribution on Saturday, citing safety concerns due to alleged threats from Hamas—a claim Hamas denied.

“The threats made it unsafe to operate today without endangering civilian lives,” the GHF said, adding that it aims to resume aid distribution promptly. The group had already halted operations on Wednesday after Palestinian health officials reported that more than 80 people were killed and hundreds injured near aid distribution points between June 1 and 3.

Eyewitnesses blamed Israeli forces for the violence, though the military claimed it only fired warning shots or responded to individuals advancing on their positions.

GHF began distributing aid in late May, using a system the United Nations has criticized for lacking impartiality. Despite the controversy, GHF says it has delivered around 9 million meals.

The Israeli military reported that 350 trucks carrying humanitarian supplies from the U.N. and other relief agencies crossed into Gaza via the Kerem Shalom crossing this week.

The war began after Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people and took 251 hostages during the October 7 attacks—marking the deadliest single day in Israel’s history. Since then, Gaza health authorities say over 54,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have died as a result of Israel’s military campaign, which has devastated much of the territory.