Young Man Drowns at Beach During Sukkot Holiday

A tragic incident occurred at Dalila Beach in Ashkelon on the evening of the Sukkot holiday, resulting in the death of a 17-year-old.

Three young men entered the sea after the lifeguards had finished their shifts. Two were rescued, but the third went missing. Emergency services, including Magen David Adom and police, were dispatched after receiving a report at 18:34. The two rescued individuals were brought ashore that evening. A 24-year-old man was found in critical, unconscious condition and was rushed to Barzilai Hospital, where resuscitation efforts began on the beach. The second rescued individual, a 17-year-old, was in mild condition and also hospitalized.

A large-scale search operation involving police, lifeguards, and volunteers commenced immediately and continued throughout the night along the coastline and in the water. On September 26, paramedics discovered the body of the missing 17-year-old near the water's edge. He was unconscious with no pulse or breathing, and his death was pronounced at the scene.

This incident follows a similar tragedy three weeks prior, when a 23-year-old Yamam fighter, Itai Peretz, drowned at Studnetim Beach in Haifa while freediving. His body was recovered two days later. The results of the police investigation into Peretz's death have not yet been released. Friends described Peretz as someone who loved challenges and was a talented member of his unit.