Volunteer Who Found Missing 4-Year-Old Yuval Kogen Shares Emotional Rescue Story

Noam Simchi, the volunteer who found 4-year-old Yuval Kogen alone on Ashkelon beach, recounted the dramatic and emotional moments of the rescue in an interview on Sunday. Simchi described how he and a friend, riding horses from a farm in Ashdod, took an unusual route through dunes and unexpectedly spotted Yuval sitting quietly, looking at them with "eyes full of mercy." The child was dehydrated and unable to communicate, but after Simchi washed his face with cold water and reassured him, Yuval nodded.

Simchi emphasized the extraordinary nature of the rescue, attributing it to divine providence and calling it a "sanctification of God's name in public." He expressed gratitude for Yuval's survival, noting that the boy, small and frail, would not have survived in the harsh desert conditions without this protection. Simchi also recalled the difficult 26 hours since Yuval's disappearance, which were hard for him and the entire Israeli public.

He shared that a jeep, also lost in the area, helped transport Yuval to the command center, while Simchi returned to the farm on horseback. Simchi concluded with a message of faith and hope, invoking teachings from Rabbi Nachman about never giving up, and encouraging the public to trust in God’s protection and look forward to complete redemption.

The rescue has been widely covered by Israeli media, highlighting the volunteer's role and the miraculous survival of the young boy in a dangerous environment.