HAMAS has handed back the body of another Israeli hostage who died defending his home.
Tal Haimi, 41, was killed by Hamas outside his kibbutz on October 7, and his body was bundled into Gaza.
He and other members of the rapid response team battled Hamas terrorists at the entrance, but he was ultimately shot dead, reports The Times of Israel.
Hamas’s military wing said yesterday it had found another body and would hand it over if “conditions on the ground allowed” – but in the end there was no transfer.
Tal’s body was eventually repatriated on Monday night.
That means that 13 of the 28 hostage bodies in Gaza when the ceasefire came into force have now been returned.
Tal was initially considered missing, before authorities said it was likely he had been taken into Gaza – though it was not known whether he was dead or alive.
In December 2023, his family was told that intelligence suggested he had been killed on October 7 and his body taken hostage.
His family held a funeral without a body.
The casket arrived at a forensic centre in Tel Aviv for identification, and a short time later the Israeli government confirmed that Tal had been handed over.
Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said: “The Government of Israel shares in the profound grief of the Haimi family and of all the families of the fallen hostages.”
Tal is survived by his wife, Ela, and their three children – Nir, Einav and Udi.
In May 2024, his youngest son Lotan was born, seven months after he was killed.
Donald Trump on Monday threatened to “eradicate” Hamas if they did not “behave”.
He said: “We have a little situation, relatively, with Hamas, that will be taken care of very quickly, if they don’t straighten it out themselves, because you’re in violation of the agreement.
“They [Hamas] have to be good, and if they’re not good they’ll be eradicated,” he added.
Meanwhile, the shaky ceasefire was on the brink of collapse over the weekend after both sides accused each other of deadly breaches.
Air strikes were reported to have claimed at least 45 Palestinian lives after a firefight in which two Israeli soldiers were killed by a Hamas rocket-propelled grenade.
Hamas leaders claimed they had lost contact with terror group fighters who launched the attack in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
But more fighting erupted early yesterday (Mon) after Israel claimed two groups of terrorists crossed the “yellow line” IDF troops withdrew to in line with Donald Trump’s peace deal.
Trump troubleshooters Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner landed in Israel yesterday in a bid to shore up the truce, which appeared to be in danger of falling apart after just nine days.
US sources said Trump’s stern message to both sides was “get your sh** together.”
Trump’s vice-president JD Vance is also due to arrive on Tuesday to further shore up the ceasefire amid warnings it was now on “life support.”
Fighting erupted in Rafah after a Hamas cell emerged from a tunnel shaft in an area under IDF control and fired a rocket-propelled grenade and light weapons at two IDF bulldozers.
Two soldiers killed in Rafah were named as Major Yaniv Kula, 26, and Staff Sergeant Itay Yavetz, 21.
Israel accused the October 7 group of “deliberately” breaching the ceasefire and blocking moves to move on from phase one of Trump’s 20-point peace plan.
Hamas claimed the attack could have been the work of rebel units it had no control over and accused Israel of killing 97 Palestinians in 80 ceasefire violations since the truce began.
The US has also warned over the weekend that Hamas is plotting an “imminent” attack on civilians in Gaza.
The State Department said on Saturday it had “credible reports” that the terror group was planning a fresh assault against Palestinians, calling it a “direct and grave violation” of the US-brokered truce.
“Should Hamas proceed with this attack, measures will be taken to protect the people of Gaza and preserve the integrity of the ceasefire,” the department said.
The chilling warning comes amid growing signs Hamas is unwilling to abide by the peace deal it signed last week, under which it was supposed to disarm, release hostages and halt attacks.
