By: The Trek News Desk
Israel has officially identified a body transferred by the International Committee of the Red Cross on Wednesday as that of Suthisak Rintalak, a 43-year-old Thai agricultural worker. The confirmation came through a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.
Rintalak was one of the last two deceased hostages whose remains were still believed to be inside Gaza. The body of the only remaining deceased hostage, Ran Gvili, a 24-year-old Israeli police officer, has yet to be recovered.
Family Notified by the IDF
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) reported that Rintalak’s family has been informed and extended its condolences. Officials added that efforts to retrieve Gvili’s body will continue, urging Hamas to take “necessary steps” to facilitate its return.
The Israeli government is also coordinating with the Thai Embassy to ensure Rintalak’s remains are repatriated to Thailand promptly.
How the Body Was Found
The handover followed a claim by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s military wing, which said it had located a hostage’s body in northern Gaza. Earlier the same day, Israel had stated that forensic tests on another set of remains, received from Hamas on Tuesday, did not match any of the deceased hostages.
Exchanges Under the Ceasefire Agreement
As part of the first phase of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire that took effect on October 10, Hamas agreed to return within 72 hours:
• 20 Israeli hostages who were alive, and
• 28 deceased Israeli and foreign hostages.
On October 13, all surviving hostages were released in exchange for:
• 250 Palestinian prisoners, and
• 1,718 detainees from Gaza.
To date, Israel has received the remains of 23 deceased Israeli hostages, along with the bodies of four foreign nationals: two Thai, one Nepalese, and one Tanzanian. In return, Israel has handed over 345 Palestinian bodies.
Dispute Over Delays
Israeli authorities accuse Hamas of intentionally slowing the recovery process. Hamas, however, says the destruction and debris caused by ongoing attacks have made it difficult to locate bodies.
The delays have also stalled progress on the second phase of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan, which outlines future governance of Gaza, withdrawal of Israeli forces, Hamas disarmament, and large-scale reconstruction.
Context of the Conflict
Rintalak and Gvili were among 251 people abducted during the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, an attack in which around 1,200 people were killed.
Israel’s military response evolved into an extensive campaign inside Gaza. According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, more than 70,100 people have been killed since the conflict began.
Source: News Agencies
