Four-year-old Yuval Kogan, who had been missing since yesterday, was located Friday afternoon after nearly a full day of searches.
In the clip above, a rescuer shouts "We found the child! We found the child! Thank you, Father!" as he kisses Yuval.
Yuval disappeared yesterday afternoon while on a trip with his family at Ashkelon's northern beach. "The boy was standing here under a tree, looking at us," said one of the people who found him.
Yuval had been spending time with his father and his two older sisters. During a picnic held at around 12:30 p.m., he disappeared into dense vegetation in the northern dunes along the city's beaches.
The last footage of Yuval before he went missing, together with his father and sisters, was captured by security cameras at Ashkelon's northern beach, where he subsequently vanished. Yuval's father described the moment he disappeared at the search site: "He was just over my shoulder - and then he disappeared. We need to think in other directions."
Before Yuval was found, his mother, Dr. Dina Kogan, a pediatrician, called on the public to assist and urged emergency services to mobilize fully.
"A four-year-old child who has been without his parents for so long is in immediate danger to his life," she said.
"There is no time to wait for supporting findings or clear evidence. We must use every tool available and consider every possibility, including abduction."
"I am very worried that this is not just a child who got lost. As the hours pass, I fear this may be an abduction incident," the mother explained. "This is not terrain where a child could travel far on his own. He is curious and mischievous, but it is difficult not to also consider the possibility that another person is involved - whether someone mentally unstable or something with a nationalistic motive. He was afraid of water, and in any case the sea was too far away for him to walk there."
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir welcomed the news with joy, saying: “Thank God for the wonderful news - Yuval has been found safe and sound."
“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Israel Police officers, Border Police fighters, Fire and Rescue Services, IDF soldiers, local emergency response teams, search and rescue units, Prison Service personnel, the many volunteers, and everyone who worked with dedication, determination, and without pause until Yuval was found."
“Today, I witnessed firsthand the concern, the tremendous mobilization, and the commitment of all the forces involved. I could not be prouder to lead a system that works in this way for the citizens of Israel.
“I embrace Yuval and his family and pray that from this moment on, they will know only days of peace, health, and joy. Thank you to the Creator for this great miracle."
President Isaac Herzog spoke with Noam Simchi, the volunteer who located Yuval, and praised him for his role in the successful search effort.
“We were all deeply moved by the joyful news," the president said. “‘Whoever saves one life is considered as if he saved an entire world,’ and today you were privileged to be the messenger for this great mitzvah. I want to thank you, and alongside you, the thousands of volunteers, security forces personnel, rescue workers, and civilians who immediately joined the search. The people of Israel have once again demonstrated the strength of their mutual responsibility and their willingness to mobilize in times of need."
Simchi told the president that he joined the search efforts this morning and that, after hours of searching, as he and others were making their way back and had lost their way, he noticed a child sitting beneath a tree. He said he viewed the opportunity to locate Yuval as a great mission, adding: “When someone from the people of Israel is in distress, we are the first to show up. We thank the Almighty for the privilege and for the great miracle that the child was found safe and sound."
The president added: “Hundreds of citizens, alongside police officers, Shin Bet personnel, Magen David Adom, firefighters, rescue teams, volunteers, and security forces, put their daily routines on hold and worked together with dedication and determination to find one child.
“This is the strength of the Israeli society. In moments of crisis, we stand by one another, driven by responsibility, care, and mutual commitment. Thank you to everyone who took part in this joint effort. Today, we are all breathing a sigh of relief together with Yuval and his family."
Herzog concluded by saying that the happy conclusion of the incident was a moment of gratitude and relief for the family and for the entire people of Israel. He expressed his deep appreciation to all those who took part in the search effort, which ended with the child’s safe rescue.