Slain hostage returned to Israel identified as Thai farm worker

Remains returned to Israel of slain hostage identified as 30-year-old Thai agricultural worker, murdered on October 7.

By World Israel News Staff

Israeli forensics experts have identified the remains of a body transferred to Israel via the International Committee of the Red Cross over the weekend as belonging to a Thai farm worker who was slain by Hamas terrorists during the October 7, 2023, invasion, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office announced on Sunday.

Following the completion of the identification process by the National Center of Forensic Medicine, in cooperation with the Israel Police and the IDF Rabbinate, the PMO announced that the 12th body returned to Israel by Hamas under the October 10th ceasefire has been identified as Sonthaya Oakkharasr.

A 30-year-old agricultural employee, Oakkharasr was murdered by Hamas terrorists while he was working in an orchard in Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, 2023, and his body was taken hostage to the Gaza Strip.

Israel’s military determined last year that Oakkharasr was killed during October 7, officially declaring him dead on May 16, 2024.

IDF representatives updated Oakkharasr’s family regarding the identification of his body, the PMO said.

“The Government of Israel shares in the deep sorrow of the Oakkharasr family, the people of Thailand and all the families of the fallen hostages,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said.

“The Hamas terrorist organization is required to uphold its commitments to the mediators and return them as part of the implementation of the agreement. We will not compromise on this and will spare no effort until we return all of the fallen hostages — every last one of them.”

Earlier on Sunday, Israel announced that it had identified the remains of another hostage body as belonging to Ronen Engel.

Oakkharasr had worked in Israel for the past eight years and was slated to finish his employment in Israel later in October 2023.