Israeli troops shot hostage Yotam Haim as he fled his captors, and in 2026 a court let his mother use his sperm for a grandchild

Yotam Haim, 28, was abducted by Hamas-led militants from Kibbutz Kfar Aza on 7 October 2023. He was held for 65 days. On 15 December 2023 he and two other hostages, Alon Shamriz and Samer Talalka, escaped and tried to reach Israeli troops in the Shejaiya district of Gaza City. The soldiers took them for a threat and shot all three dead. Yotam was single. After his body was returned, a doctor retrieved ten samples of his sperm, which he said was "enough for five children." After 7 October the Health and Justice ministries let parents authorise retrieval without a court order. Using the sperm still needs a court. Israel has no law on it, and parents must prove the dead man wanted children. His mother, Iris, offered testimony from relatives, friends and his therapist. The State Attorney's Office approved the request in principle in May 2025. On 10 April 2026 Judge Ariel Maman of the Beersheba family court allowed the family to conceive a child through a surrogate. It was the second such ruling of the war. In July 2025 an Eilat court had allowed Sharon Eisenkot to use the sperm of her son Maor, a soldier killed in Gaza. By 1 April 2026 sperm had been retrieved from 253 soldiers and security personnel and 21 civilians. Several women have offered to act as surrogate. No pregnancy has been reported.