Israel on Tuesday held a farewell ceremony at Ben-Gurion International Airport for Sudthisak Rinthalak, a Thai agricultural worker who was killed during the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas invasion of southern Israel and whose body was recently repatriated.
The event was attended by Gal Hirsch, Israel’s coordinator for hostages and missing persons; the ambassadors of Israel and Thailand; senior Foreign Ministry officials; and representatives of the Hostages and Missing Persons Headquarters and the Eshkol Regional Council.
Join us live at 10am (Israel Time) for the farewell ceremony for Sudthisak Rinthalak at Ben-Gurion Airport https://t.co/EXpXC8AYrM
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) December 9, 2025
Hirsch, speaking on behalf of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, conveyed condolences to Rinthalak’s family and the Thai nation, noting Israel’s ongoing support for the victims’ families and its efforts to secure the return of all remaining hostages, including Thai citizens.
He also reaffirmed Israel’s “full commitment” to retrieving the remains of Staff Sgt. Ran Gvili, believed to be the last fallen hostage still held by Hamas in Gaza.
