Israeli President Herzog Contacts Mother of Missing 4-Year-Old in Ashkelon Amid Intensive Search

Israeli President Isaac Herzog spoke on Friday morning with Dina Kogen, the mother of 4-year-old Yuval Kogen, who has been missing since Thursday afternoon near the northern Ashkelon beach area. Herzog expressed deep concern and reassured the mother on behalf of all Israeli citizens, informing her that he is in close contact with the Police Commissioner and the head of the Shin Bet regarding the case.

Yuval disappeared while on a family outing with his father and sisters in the dunes between a high cliff and the beach. After briefly exploring the bushes, he vanished within minutes. His mother fears a possible abduction and has urged for expanded search efforts beyond the police and Shin Bet, emphasizing the critical nature of the situation as a matter of life and death.

Search operations have been ongoing since the disappearance, involving hundreds of emergency personnel including police, ZAKA, Magen David Adom, and divers, with aerial support from helicopters and drones. The challenging terrain, which includes steep cliffs, wide dunes, and open water without lifeguards or breakwaters, complicates the search. Yuval does not know how to swim and is afraid of the sea, intensifying concerns about his safety.

The president concluded his conversation with a prayer for Yuval’s safe return and called on the public to assist the search efforts in coordination with security and rescue forces. Authorities have urged anyone with information to come forward immediately as the search continues at full scale with additional forces deployed overnight.