JERUSALEM (Reuters) - More than half the estimated 220 hostages held by Palestinian group Hamas have foreign passports from 25 different countries, including 54 Thai nationals, the Israeli government said on Wednesday.
Israel said 138 of the hostages had foreign passports, including 15 Argentinians, 12 Germans, 12 Americans, six French and six Russians.
Many were believed to have had dual Israeli nationality, however some, like the Thais and five Nepalese hostages, almost certainly did not.
Thais also made up the largest single group of foreign dead and missing, with 24 confirmed killed and 21 unaccounted for.
Five Chinese citizens were killed and one was missing, while Nepal had five killed and five missing.
Persons:
Israel, Thais, Crispian Balmer, Rod Nickel
Organizations:
Hamas
Locations:
JERUSALEM, Palestinian, Israel, Sri Lankan, Tanzania, Philippines, Thailand, United States, Ukraine, France, Russia, Nepal