- Nadav Popplewell was killed during an Israeli operation in Khan Younis in June.
- The body of the Wakefield native was recovered last night by the IDF.
- His body was recovered along with the bodies of five other hostages.
The Israeli military says it has recovered the body of British hostage Nadav Popplewell from Gaza, along with the bodies of five Israelis who have been held by Hamas since October 7.
Nadav, originally from Wakefield, near Leeds, was confirmed dead in June following an Israeli operation in Khan Younis in southern Gaza.
Nadav’s body was recovered overnight from the city by the IDF, along with those of Yagev Buchshtab, Alexander Dancyg, Avraham Munder, Yoram Metzger and Haim Perry. Yoram and Haim were killed in the same Israeli military operation in which Nadav was killed.
Last night’s hostage rescue operation was carried out under the command of the IDF’s 98th Division and was conducted by the Paratroopers Brigade, the ‘Yahalom’ Unit and the 75th Battalion, along with Shin Bet forces.
In May, the Hamas terror group released undated images of the Briton showing visible bruises. In the video, Popplewell is seen saying his name and age to the camera.
Nadav Popplewell (pictured), originally from Wakefield, near Leeds, was confirmed dead in June following an Israeli operation in Khan Younis.
In May, the Hamas terror group released undated images of the British man showing him visibly bruised.
Popplewell was taken captive along with his mother Channah Peri, 79, from their home in Nirim during the Hamas attack on October 7.
Popplewell was taken captive along with his mother Channah Peri, 79, from their home in Nirim during the Hamas attack on October 7.
His older brother, Roi Popplewell, 54, was shot dead by terrorists behind his home on the kibbutz that same day.
Peri was released in November during the temporary ceasefire agreement.
Kibbutz Nir Oz, where Avraham Munder came from and whose body was recovered along with Nadav’s, said the 79-year-old had suffered “physical and mental torture for months” and called his death “murder.” His captors had no immediate comment.
A spokesperson for the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents the families of those still held by Hamas, told MailOnline: “The recovery of the bodies of Abraham, Alex, Chaim, Yagev, Yoram and Nadav crucially provides their families with necessary closure and ensures eternal rest for those killed.
‘Israel has a moral and ethical obligation to return all those killed for a dignified burial and to bring all hostages home alive for rehabilitation.
“The immediate return of the remaining 109 hostages can only be achieved through a negotiated settlement. The Israeli government, with the help of mediators, must do everything possible to realize the agreement that is on the table.”
Hamas is believed to still be holding around 110 hostages captured in the October 7 attack. Israeli authorities estimate that around a third of them are dead.
News of Popplewell’s recovery comes as top US diplomat Anthony Blinken flew to Egypt to continue ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas.
Blinken, who met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Monday, will then head to Qatar, which is negotiating a truce with Egypt in the 10-month-old Gaza conflict.
MailOnline has contacted the Foreign Office for comment.
