Israel Identifies Thai Hostage’s Remains, One Body Still in Gaza

Overview

• Officials said the coffin was transferred from Gaza via the ICRC to Israeli forces and taken to the National Forensic Institute in Tel Aviv for identification.
• After tests, the IDF and Foreign Ministry notified Rinthalak’s family that his body was identified and repatriated for burial.
• Israel had determined a prior delivery did not match either of the two remaining cases, prompting Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad to resume searches in Beit Lahia.
• Under the U.S.-brokered truce, Hamas freed 20 living hostages and has now returned 27 of 28 bodies committed under the agreement.
• COGAT said the Rafah crossing will reopen in the coming days for Palestinian exits to Egypt under Egyptian coordination with EU supervision, as Israel vows to keep working to retrieve the final body.