CBS has confirmed that Ziva David, played by Cote de Pablo, will not appear in the upcoming 24th season of NCIS, even though Michael Weatherly returns as Special Agent Tony DiNozzo for a season-long arc. Showrunner Steven D. Binder explained that the storyline will explicitly address her absence rather than ignore it, keeping her within the wider narrative while Tony re-enters the flagship series' orbit in Washington, D.C.

According to Binder, Ziva is staying a couple of hours away with the couple's daughter, Tali, who has moved to America for boarding school, while Tony sets up a satellite office for his security firm in D.C. and becomes drawn into NCIS business. Tony and Ziva previously reunited on-screen in the Paramount+ spin-off NCIS: Tony & Ziva, which launched in September 2025 but was cancelled after one season despite a warm reception. NCIS Season 24 is set to premiere on 6 October 2026.