Iris Haim, mother of Yotam z”l, who was accidentally shot by IDF friendly fire after he managed to escape from Hamas captivity, together with Samer Talalka and Alon Shamriz , shared an emotional letter sent to her by released hostage lookout Karina Ariev , who was held in Gaza with her son. Ariev wrote about the first time she met Yotam in the tunnels, "On October 9th I went down into a tunnel and saw him standing there. He didn’t know who I was, but he immediately walked over to me, with his red hair tied in a ponytail, and with a smile and eyes that instilled so much peace, love, calm, support and care, and held my hand." "From the first moment, Yotam was radiant and soothing. The touch of his hand, the hug, his words that helped me breathe a sigh of relief and understand that as long as Yotam was by my side, I did not need to be scared. 'Don't be afraid, everything will be okay' – those are the words that kept me going me during captivity and symbolized Yotam's fierce spirit," Ariev said. She went on to describe how Yotam remained optimistic even in the most difficult moments. "He always radiated optimism, believed that everything would end, cared for us, was interested in our personal story, held me and listened to me; and he never stopped smiling. Yotam got some sticks and pots from the Hamas captors, and I saw how 'happy' he was when he could drum some rhythms for us." Iris Haim said that Ariev’s gesture moved her greatly. "Karina Ariev sent us the letter while she was still in hospital. She wrote another letter and told us many more things about Yotam. The letter gave me a breath of fresh air. Yotam stayed strong in captivity, not only taking care of himself, but supporting everyone around him. I miss his smile so much. He had a smile that will only remain in our memories and pictures, but we will continue to convey Yotam's true strength."
