Hamas on Monday returned to Israel the body of Tal Haimi, the 41-year-old head of Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak’s civil defense squad, who was killed while defending his community from terrorists during the Oct. 7, 2023, assault. Haimi fell while fighting at the entrance to the kibbutz, where his body was seized by terrorists and taken into Gaza.
The remains were handed to the Red Cross before being transferred to Israeli forces and taken for identification at the Abu Kabir forensic institute in Tel Aviv. Later that night, military officials informed Haimi’s family that his body had been brought home.
At a short ceremony near the Gaza border, IDF Chief Rabbi Brig. Gen. Eyal Krim and soldiers saluted the flag-draped casket. The army said Haimi was posthumously promoted to sergeant major in recognition of his actions defending Nir Yitzhak.
Give the gift of hope
We practice what we preach:
accurate, fearless journalism. But we can't do it alone.
- On the ground in Gaza, Syria, Israel, Egypt, Pakistan, and more
- Our program trained more than 100 journalists
- Calling out fake news and reporting real facts
- On the ground in Gaza, Syria, Israel, Egypt, Pakistan, and more
- Our program trained more than 100 journalists
- Calling out fake news and reporting real facts
Join us.
Support The Media Line. Save democracy.
Haimi is survived by his wife, Ela, and their four children — Nir, Einav, Udi and Lotan, the youngest born seven months after his father’s death. “It’s a very big relief, though as we approach the funeral it’s very painful as well,” Ela told Channel 12. “I was glad to tell my children this morning that their dad returned.”
The Prime Minister’s Office declared that Israel “shares in the profound grief of the Haimi family and of all the families of the fallen hostages,” adding that Hamas must uphold its commitment to return all bodies still held in Gaza.
According to Israeli officials, 13 bodies of hostages have now been recovered, with 15 still in Gaza. Haimi’s return followed claims by Hamas that it had located his body a day earlier; the Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades later said it had been holding the remains, contradicting the assertion.
Israel continues to demand the release of the remaining hostages whose bodies are in Gaza, with some stating that Hamas is not adhering to the cease-fire agreement that requires the return of all hostages, living and dead, during the first 72 hours of the agreement. Hamas insists that it does not have access to all of the remains, a claim Israel denies.