Israeli officials confirmed that the body recovered from Gaza on Wednesday was that of Sudthisak Rinthalak, a 43-year-old Thai agricultural worker kidnapped and murdered during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack.
Rinthalak, a fatherless farm worker from northeastern Thailand, had been employed on Kibbutz Be’eri for three months when terrorists overran the community. He was killed that morning and his body abducted to the Gaza Strip by Islamic Jihad.
Islamic Jihad located his remains earlier this week in northern Gaza and transferred them to the Red Cross, which handed them to the IDF. After forensic confirmation, Israel notified his family and the Thai government.
His return means only one slain hostage’s remains—police officer Ran Gvili—are still held in Gaza.
Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office expressed deep condolences to the Rinthalak family and praised the Thai community’s contributions to Israel. President Isaac Herzog noted Rinthalak had been held for 789 days, saying, “Now he can finally be laid to rest with dignity.”
Israel will coordinate repatriation of his remains with the Thai embassy. Rinthalak is survived by his parents and brother and was remembered as a hardworking employee whose favorite meal was an omelet with tomatoes.
Thai officials thanked Israel for its efforts, noting that 31 Thai nationals were taken hostage on October 7—28 returned alive, three in death.
