A blast from old munitions injures 6 Thai workers in northern Israel

An explosion of outdated ammunition in northern Israel on Tuesday left six Thai migrant workers injured, with two requiring surgical intervention, according to Thailand's Foreign Ministry. The incident occurred in an orchard near Metula, a town close to the border with Lebanon, a region that has witnessed ongoing conflict for months.

Over 40,000 Thai workers reside in Israel, primarily employed in agriculture due to limited job opportunities in their home rural regions. The Thai Foreign Ministry's representative visited the Ziv Medical Center in Safed, where the six individuals were treated, to offer support. The embassy plans to collaborate with medical professionals and other organizations to provide necessary care and compensation.

Thai workers were among those captured during the October 2023 Hamas-led assault on southern Israel, with 28 safely returned and three fatalities. Since then, three Thai lives have been lost in northern Israel. Many Thai agricultural workers resided in compounds at the periphery of southern Israeli kibbutzim and towns, which were initially targeted by Hamas militants.