A Thai farmworker held hostage in Gaza for more than a year said he felt “reborn” as he and four compatriots arrived home on Sunday to tears of joy from their relieved families.

The five – Watchara Sriaoun, Pongsak Tanna, Sathian Suwannakham, Surasak Lamnau and Bannawat Saethao – were met by a small group of overjoyed relatives and officials before travelling on to their hometowns.

Watchara was embraced by his parents and nine-year-old daughter as he arrived at his simple two-storey home in northeastern Udon Thani province and was handed bright yellow marigolds, a Thai symbol of prosperity.

“Thank you to everyone who helped me out, I feel like I have been reborn,” the 33-year-old Christian said, before eating his first meal with his family in several years – boiled rice with pork.

Weeping, his 85-year-old grandfather told him: “You are back, I thought you were dead.”