The Daily Populous Saturday June 7th, 2025 evening edition
Authored by m.jpost.com and submitted by The-Tralfamadorian

The body of the last Thai hostage, Pinta Nattapong, was recovered from the Gaza Strip on Friday during a special operation conducted by the IDF and Shin Bet, they both said in a joint statement on Saturday.

Hamas is believed to have the body of a second foreign national.

"The operation was made possible by precise intelligence obtained from a Shin Bet interrogation of a terrorist, along with intelligence received from the Hostage Task Force and the IDF Intelligence Directorate," the statement said.

Identification of Nattapong's body was carried out by the National Institute of Forensic Medicine in cooperation with the Israel Police, the Hostage Task Force of the IDF's Manpower Directorate.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar updated his counterpart Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangyampongsa on the details of the operation to recover Nattapong's body, according to Israeli local media. Israel intends to hold a ceremony for Nattapong at Ben Gurion Airport before his coffin is flown to Thailand, Sa'ar said. Sangyampongsa thanked the minister for his efforts. Hostages square Tel Aviv (credit: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

55 hostages remain in Gaza under Hamas captivity.

"Hamas has 20 living hostages, two we cannot determine, and another 33 dead," an Israeli security source said on Saturday.

Nattapong was the last Thai hostage held by Hamas

Nattapong was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Released Thai hostages who were captured during the deadly October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, pose as they hold up Thai national flags in Israel, January 30, 2025 (credit: ROYAL THAI GOVERNMENT/ROYAL THAI EMBASSY in Tel Aviv/Handout via REUTERS)

In January 2025, five Thai nationals who were kidnapped and held hostage in Gaza were released from captivity. At that time, Nattapong was believed to be alive.

The freed Thai captives were also working in agriculture in the areas surrounding the Gaza Strip at the time of their capture.

Israeli officials, Hostages Forum, Nir Oz offer condolences

The Thai Embassy informed Nattapong's family on the situation in coordination with the Defense Intelligence Agency.

"The news of [Nattapong's] murder is shocking, but nevertheless the certainty in this complex situation provides us with some comfort," the spokesperson for Kibbutz Nir Oz said in a statement on Saturday.

"We would like to thank the security forces who were involved in the complex rescue operation. Alongside this, we reiterate what must be said: Nattapong was kidnapped alive, and he is the 14th hostage from Nir Oz to be murdered in captivity, the statement concluded.

"Together with all the citizens of Israel, we extend our condolences to Nattapong's family and the Thai people," the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement. "We will not rest or be silent until we return all of our hostages home - both the living and the dead.

"The IDF and ISA will continue to make all efforts possible to bring home all the hostages," the organizations said in their statement.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said, "We stand with Nattapong's family today and share in their grief. While the pain is immense, his family will finally have certainty after 20 terrible and agonizing months of devastating uncertainty. Every family deserves such certainty to begin their personal healing journey.

"We emphasize once again that decision-makers must do everything necessary to reach an agreement that will bring back all 55 remaining hostages—the living for rehabilitation and the deceased for proper burial. Israel's longest war in its history cannot end in victory without all 55 hostages who remain in captivity."

Democratic Party Chairman Yair Golan also responded to the news, calling it "a sad closing of a circle for the Pinta family."

"There is no more time, we must immediately return the 55 hostages who remain in captivity," he said.

Opposition Leader Yair Lapid offered his condolences in a post on Twitter/X in addition to congratulating the IDF and Shin Bet for their successful operation.

SideburnSundays on June 7th, 2025 at 09:54 UTC »

So psychopathic and stupid they'll kill anyone even if they have fuckall to do with the conflict.

Count99dowN on June 7th, 2025 at 08:47 UTC »

Such a tragedy. I hope his family find some consolation.

royi9729 on June 7th, 2025 at 08:47 UTC »

May his memory be a blessing.

This will not heal the loss of a loved one, but perhaps it can help the family move on now that his body is back.