Volunteers Reunite With 4-Year-Old Yuval Kogan After Dramatic Rescue Near Nitzanim Beach

Two days after the emotional rescue of 4-year-old Yuval Kogan near Nitzanim Beach, ZAKA volunteers Netanel Biton and Noam Simchi visited the Kogan family for their first meeting with Yuval since he was found alone after many hours in the wilderness. The encounter was deeply emotional, with Simchi giving Yuval a necklace and both volunteers offering support to the family, closing the chapter on the dramatic search operation that ended miraculously.

Yuval's mother, Dina, expressed her gratitude to the rescuers and everyone who supported the family during the difficult hours, saying she prayed for them all and believed only a good outcome was possible. Simchi recalled the unforgettable moment of finding Yuval, describing how overwhelmed with joy he was that he fell off his horse and embraced the boy, feeling as if Yuval was his own child. He noted Yuval was exhausted, barely able to speak, and dehydrated after more than 20 hours under the sun.

Simchi explained that after the official search ended, a navigational error led them to an area previously unsearched, where his horse stopped and alerted them to Yuval sitting under a tree. They immediately focused on safely returning him to his parents without overwhelming him with questions. A jeep driver who also got lost in the area helped transport Yuval quickly to the command post, which Simchi called a miracle.

Yuval's parents said the family is gradually returning to normal life. Dina noted that last Sabbath already felt routine, while Yuval's father revealed that Yuval told them he prayed throughout the hours alone, conserving his strength under the tree and waiting to be found. He described Yuval as a child with great resilience.