Israel announced Tuesday that remains returned from Gaza a day earlier have been identified as those of Sergeant Major Tal Chaimi, a non-commissioned officer who was killed during the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. The prime minister’s office said army representatives informed Chaimi’s family that the identification process was complete and that their loved one had been returned to Israel.
Chaimi, 41, who led the Nir Yitzhak kibbutz defence militia, was killed on the first day of the war and his body had been taken to Gaza.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Hamas, saying the group would be “eradicated” if it violated the ceasefire deal with Israel. His comments came as Vice President J.D. Vance traveled to the region Tuesday to shore up the fragile truce. The Trump administration has intensified efforts to secure the Gaza peace agreement it helped broker, after Israel accused Hamas of delaying the handover of hostages’ bodies and violence surged over the weekend.
“We made a deal with Hamas that they’re going to be very good, they’re going to behave, they’re going to be nice,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Monday. “If they’re not, we’re going to go and we’re going to eradicate them, if we have to. They’ll be eradicated, and they know that.”
Both Israel and Hamas say they remain committed to the U.S.-backed truce despite recent clashes. Israel confirmed that Hamas handed over one hostage’s remains on Monday, bringing the total to 13 of the 28 bodies Hamas had pledged to return. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Hamas must fulfill its commitment to return the remains of all hostages for the ceasefire agreement to be fully implemented.
