Sa’ar, Thai FM speak after return of Thai hostage’s body

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar expressed on Monday condolences to the family of deceased hostage Sonthaya Oakkharasri and to the people of Thailand over the phone with his Thai counterpart, Sihasak Phuangketkeow.

The Hamas terrorist organization transferred Oakkharasri‘s body to Israeli authorities on Saturday.

“Sonthaya was killed on Oct. 7, [2023], outside Kibbutz Be’eri and his body was taken hostage by Hamas,” Sa’ar tweeted.

“I told my counterpart that Israel will grant all the assistance and benefits to Sonthaya’s family, as to any Israeli victim of terror, as we did with the previous Thai victims,” the minister added.

Sa’ar moreover emphasized Israel’s ongoing efforts to return the bodies of the remaining 16 dead hostages, including that of Thai agricultural worker Sudthisak Rinthalak.

Israel will respond forcefully to any violation, Israel’s top diplomat continued, referring to Hamas terrorists who killed two Israel Defense Forces soldiers the previous day.

Hamas’s attack in the southern Gaza Strip on Sunday was its first deadly attack since the Trump administration-brokered ceasefire went into effect last week.

The slain soldiers were identified as Maj. Yaniv Kula, 26, and Staff Sgt. Itay Yavetz, 21, both members of the Nahal Brigade and residents of Modi’in.

A reserve soldier from a combat engineering unit was severely wounded in the incident in Rafah, in an area under Israeli control according to agreed-upon ceasefire lines. He was evacuated to a hospital for treatment.

Oakkharasri, a married father of one, was among the more than three dozen Thai citizens who were murdered during the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre.

“The IDF expresses deep condolences to the family, continues to make every effort to return all the deceased hostages, and is prepared for the continued implementation of the agreement,” the IDF said after the recovery of the body.