Second-to-last hostage returns: Body of Thai national Sudthisak Rinthalak handed over to Israel

The remains of a deceased hostage returned to Israel on Wednesday belong to Thai national Sudthisak Rinthalak, the Prime Minister’s Office announced Thursday morning.

Now, only one fallen hostage remains in the Gaza Strip: Staff Sgt. Ran Gvili, who has not yet been returned to his family.

Rinthalak, who had worked in agriculture in the communities surrounding Gaza since 2017, was murdered on Oct. 7 while visiting a friend near the orchards of Kibbutz Be’eri. His body was abducted to the Gaza Strip and held by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group.

His death was determined on May 16 the following year, based on intelligence gathered in Israel.

Rinthalak was born in the town of Ratnawi and grew up in northern Thailand. His family told the Hostages’ Families Headquarters that he and his brother were very close and always did everything together. He worked for many years in agriculture and came to Israel as part of the foreign-worker employment program. He was employed in orchards near the Gaza border and was considered a diligent and well-liked worker among his colleagues. Rinthalak was 43 at the time of his death.

He is survived by his brother Thaphon, his father Thongma, and his mother On.

The Coordinator for Hostages and Missing Persons, Gal Hirsch, informed Rinthalak's family that the arrangements for returning him for burial would be coordinated with the Thai Embassy in Israel, and he expressed condolences to the family and to the Thai people on behalf of the government.

“The Rinthalak family and Thai Ambassador to Israel Boonyarit Vichienpuntu asked to convey their deep gratitude and appreciation to the State of Israel for the efforts to return Sudthisak and for the continuous support provided to the family since the outbreak of the war,” the statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said.

Thirty-five non-Israeli hostages were abducted on the Black Saturday. Among them were 31 Thai citizens working in agriculture in the Gaza periphery – 28 returned alive and three were murdered.

In addition, a Filipino foreign worker from Nir Oz was abducted and returned alive, a student from Tanzania was murdered and abducted from Kibbutz Nahal Oz, a Mexican tourist was abducted from the Nova festival, and a Nepalese student was abducted and murdered from Kibbutz Alumim.

Last week, the body of Dror Or, a 48-year-old resident of Be’eri, was returned to Israel. Or was a cheesemaker, culinary expert, and yoga teacher. He was murdered on Oct. 7 by terrorists, and his body was taken to Gaza. After his return, he was laid to rest in his kibbutz.

Three weeks ago, the fallen hostage Meny Godard, a 73-year-old resident of Be’eri, father of four and grandfather, was returned to Israel. He was laid to rest beside his wife, Ayelet, who was also murdered on Oct. 7.