Israel has confirmed the identification of Sudthisak Rinthalak, a Thai agricultural worker who was murdered during the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, 2023. His remains were returned from Gaza on December 3, 2025, more than two years after the massacre.
Rinthalak was kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri in southern Israel, one of the communities devastated in the October 7 attacks. The Israel Prime Minister’s Office officially confirmed the identification on December 4, 2025.
Thailand’s Heavy Toll#
Thailand suffered disproportionately heavy casualties in the October 7 attacks. At the time, approximately 30,000 Thai workers were employed in Israel, almost all as agricultural laborers. Thousands were working on farms near the Gaza border when Hamas terrorists launched their assault.
According to the Thai Foreign Ministry:
- 32 Thai citizens were killed
- 22 were taken hostage
- 19 were injured
Thailand represented the largest source of migrant agricultural labor for Israel, with workers concentrated in the southern farming communities that bore the brunt of the attack.
The Last Thai Hostage Accounted For#
With Rinthalak’s identification, all Thai citizens taken during the October 7 attacks have now been accounted for. Since a U.S.-brokered ceasefire began in October 2024, 20 living Thai hostages were released and the remains of 27 others, including Rinthalak, have been returned to Israel.
The Thai Ambassador to Israel, Boonyarit Vichienphan, expressed appreciation for Israel’s efforts to recover and return Rinthalak’s remains to his family.
Remembering Sudthisak Rinthalak#
Sudthisak Rinthalak came to Israel like tens of thousands of his countrymen seeking work in agriculture. These workers form the backbone of Israel’s farming sector, particularly in the kibbutzim and moshavim of the south.
On October 7, 2023, he became one of the many victims of Hamas terrorism. His body was taken into Gaza, where it remained for over two years before being recovered.
May his memory be a blessing.
Sources: The Jerusalem Post, Associated Press
