Today, exactly four months ago, on December 15, 2023, you gained your freedom.
Three heroes, Samer Al-Tatlaka, Alon Shamriz, and Yotam aim.

Fate placed you together as a fighting team, battling to maintain your sanity, fighting to return home to us.
The teamwork you displayed became known to us through the words of Vician, himself a freedom fighter, who was released from captivity and told us your story in Hamas captivity.

We learned from him what we had already suspected—your tale of heroism.
When you disappeared, Yotam, on October 7th, and we had no idea what had happened to you, we knew that the 28 years during which you fought daily for your life would serve you in the unknown that lay ahead.

We knew that your inner strength, reserved for mental warriors, your sharp sense of humor, your love of music, and your unrelenting determination would help you.
Twenty-eight years of training, never giving up on yourself, even in the darkest moments of your battle with an eating disorder at 17, or when you couldn’t serve as a soldier like everyone else.

Determined to be the best, the strongest, the most successful.
That was your life’s mission—to show everyone how strong you were, how much you were like everyone else.

But you weren’t like everyone else, Yotam—you were you.
Captivity brought out the best in you; you learned Thai in captivity to help Vician. “Don’t worry, Mom and Dad,” you said, “I’m strong.”

Your team didn’t choose to be together, but the mission required friendship, consideration, and sensitivity.
Each of you gave your strongest part, helping one another, collaborating to defeat Hamas.

You freed yourselves from your captors, moving through the dangerous terrain of Sajaiya like partisans, under constant fire. Your weapons were camaraderie, friendship, determination, and boundless courage.

That’s how you succeeded—together.

For yourself, Yotam, you proved what you had wanted your whole life—to be a hero, strong and successful.

Your story of bravery, alongside your comrades in captivity—partisans who died as free men—will be told for generations to come.

We are proud of you.