'Time is running out': Wife of man killed in October 7 attacks still waits for his body to return

Ela Haimi fighting back tears as she reflects on the prospect of never seeing the body of her husband almost two years after he was kidnapped and killed by Hamas during the October 7th attacks.

Speaking to LBC News during a trip to the UK, the mother of four says "time is running out" to save the remaining hostages and the bodies of loved ones still being held in Gaza.

50 hostages are currently being kept by the terrorist group, up to 20 of whom are believed to still be alive.

Ela's husband, Tal, was a First Responder for the Nir Yitzhak rapid response team when Hamas descended on their neighbourhood on the Israel / Gaza border, forcing Tal to go outside and defend his Kibbutz.

Tal never returned home.

Two months later and it was confirmed he had been kidnapped and murdered by Hamas. His phone was traced to Khan Younis in Gaza.

As LBC News speaks exclusively to Ela during her visit to the UK, her husband's body has still not been returned to his family.

She's now facing the reality of raising her four children alone, including a baby who was born shortly after Tal's death.

As the months pass and with a lack of any concrete long-term ceasefire deal, Ela fears attention has shifted away from Israeli hostages and their families.

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Speaking to Vanessa Baffoe on LBC News Breakfast, she said: "At the moment, I don't hear anything. It's very sad. I thought maybe there would be some diplomatic efforts to find a solution in the conflict with Hamas in the Gaza strip.

"Nothing has happened right now and we are running out of time. Those who are dead, their body can be destroyed or disappear. Those who are alive, they don't have time because they can die at any moment".

Over the weekend, the US President was asked about the ongoing effort to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Donald Trump told reporters: “Hopefully we’re going to get that straightened out over the next week.”

It's hoped any potential deal could include the gradual return of hostages and the pulling back of Israeli troops away from parts of Gaza.

In response, Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said he's confident of a ceasefire.

Ela says a deal should be a priority for the government in Israel.

She has been forced to hold a funeral for her husband without his body, something she says she hopes no other family will ever experience.

Nearly two years on and she says her children, twins Nir and Einav, aged 11, Udi, aged 8 and one-year old, Lotan, are still struggling to come to terms with their father's death.

She says: "I thought about the kids. I wanted to give them closure. We had a funeral but the grave is empty until today.

"One of the kids is still sure that Tal is alive.

"They don't understand how he can be dead without a body. They are sure he is still alive."