The remains of a deceased hostage, identified as Sgt. Maj. Tal Haimi, commander of Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak’s rapid response team, have been returned from Gaza.
Haimi was 41 years old when he died. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that he was killed in combat defending Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak during the October 7, 2023, massacre. His body was subsequently taken into Gaza, where it remained held for over two years.
Although Haimi’s family initially believed he had been taken alive, Israel officially declared him deceased on December 13, 2023.
According to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, Haimi was a third-generation descendant of Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak’s founders and a fourth-generation resident.
“Tal was a mechanical engineer and a member of the Nir Yitzhak emergency response team. He enjoyed taking his family on nature trips and camping. As an enthusiastic tool user, he was renowned for always resolving any issue that emerged,” the forum stated following the return and identification of Haimi’s remains.
He is survived by his wife, their four children, his father, and his sister. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum highlighted that one of Haimi’s children was born after his death.
After Haimi’s remains were identified, the Israeli Prime Minister’s office extended condolences to his family and reiterated its demand for Hamas to release the remains of all deceased hostages for appropriate burial. The IDF likewise echoed this appeal, urging Hamas to honor its commitments under the agreement brokered by the Trump administration.
On October 13, 2025, the remaining 20 living hostages returned to Israel after over two years in captivity. Since then, the remains of 28 deceased hostages have been gradually returned. Currently, the remains of 15 deceased hostages, including U.S. citizens Itay Chen and Omer Neutra, remain in Gaza. Among the deceased hostages in Gaza is Hadar Goldin, whose remains have been held in the enclave since he was killed in battle in 2014.