Remains of 2nd slain hostage returned by Hamas identified as Thailand’s Sonthaya Oakkharasri

Military representatives have notified the family of Thai national Sonthaya Oakkharasri that his body was returned to Israel by Hamas last night, following his identification by forensic experts, the IDF says.

Oakkharasri, 30, had been murdered in Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, 2023, and his body was abducted to Gaza, according to the IDF. His death was officially confirmed by the military in May 2024.

The IDF says it “shares in the family’s grief, continues to invest all efforts in bringing back the fallen hostages, and is preparing for the continued implementation of the agreement” with Hamas.

A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office says Israel “shares in the deep sorrow of the Oakkharasri family, of the Thai people, and of all the families of the fallen hostages.”

The PMO says that Israel is “determined, committed, and working tirelessly” to bring back all of the slain hostages for burial, adding that Hamas is “required to fulfill its commitments to the mediators and return them as part of the implementation of the agreement.”