Dec. 4 (UPI) — The body of a Thai agricultural worker held hostage in Gaza for nearly 800 days has been returned to Israel, the Israeli government said Thursday.
The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced in a statement that the family of Sudthisak Rinthalak, 42, had been informed of the return of his remains.
Rinthalak, who has been an agricultural worker in Israel since 2017, was killed by Palestinian Islamic Jihad militants during Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
He was killed in the siege of Kibbutz Be’eri and his body was taken back into the Palestinian enclave of Gaza. The Israeli military said he was taken from the kibbutz’s orchards.
On Wednesday, Israeli officials said that they received from the Red Cross a coffin containing the remains of a hostage located during searches in the northern Gaza Strip, and that the remains would undergo examination to identify the identity of the remains.
The Israeli military determined on May 16, 2024, that Rinthalak had been killed.
Rinthalak’s family has been informed that the procedures for returning him for burial in Thailand will be carried out in coordination with the Thai Embassy in Israel.
“The government of Israel shares in the deep sorrow of the Rinthalak family, the Thai people and all of fallen hostages’ families,” the office of the prime minister said.
The Thai Embassy confirmed in a statement that it has been informed of the development.
“The Thai government will cooperate with the Israeli government to arrange for the dignified repatriation of Mr. Sudthisak’s remains to Thailand at the earliest opportunity,” it said.
With the return of Rinthalak’s remains, only one of the 251 hostages Hamas kidnapped remains in Gaza.
Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, 24, was taken on Oct. 7, 2023, from Alumim, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
The final remaining hostages, dead and alive, have been returned to Israel as part of a fragile cease-fire agreement reached between Hamas and Israel in October.
Israel said it is “determined, committed and working tirelessly” to secure the return of Gvili.
“The Hamas terrorist organization is required to uphold its commitments to the mediators and return the fallen hostages as part of the implementation of the agreement,” the prime minister’s office said. “We will not compromise on this and will spare no effort until we bring him back home to Israel.”
