In a heartbreaking yet hopeful decision, the parents of Yotam Haim, killed after escaping Hamas captivity, chose to preserve their son's legacy through sperm harvesting - a practice that has surged dramatically since October 7.
A Mother's Swift Decision
Just 30 minutes after learning of her 28-year-old son's death, Iris Haim faced an unexpected question: would she want to harvest Yotam's sperm? "We immediately said yes," she told The Telegraph. "I know he really wanted children... it was not the end."
The Path Forward
- Doctors successfully harvested 10 vials of sperm
- A family friend awaits court approval for IVF
- The family sees this as Yotam's living legacy
A Growing Practice
Since October 7, Israel has seen an unprecedented rise in post-mortem sperm preservation:
- 170 retrievals from soldiers and civilians
- 15 times higher than previous years
- Health Ministry waived court order requirements
One Family's Impact
Jpost explained that Shaylee Atari's earlier struggle to preserve her murdered husband's sperm led to policy changes:
"Shaylee and Yahav Atari were in their home in Kfar Aza when the invading terrorists broke into their home. Yahav was murdered while Shaylee escaped with their month-old baby. Only 28 hours after her husband’s death, Shaylee began looking into harvesting his sperm.
“I asked Yahav’s mother if she knew if you could harvest the sperm of a civilian like a soldier can. Everything I did from then was like a marathon, running against a time machine before the sperm died to try and save it,” Shaylee told The Telegraph. Her trials to have another child with her husband were unsuccessful, as Atary’s sperm died as his wife appealed to the courts, lawyers and the Israeli public."
Though unsuccessful in her own attempt, her battle paved the way for families like the Haims.
Yotam, a heavy metal drummer from Kfar Aza, was among three hostages mistakenly killed by IDF forces in December 2023 after escaping Hamas captivity.
"We have a chance to have a continuation of Yotam," Iris said. "This will be something real that we can feel."
Jpost contributed to this article.
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