Search Underway for Father and Six Children Missing During Negev Hike Amid Heatwave

Search efforts are ongoing for a father and his six children who went missing during a hike in Nahal Gov in the Negev. The family left their home in the settlement of Ir Ovot at 8:00 a.m. equipped with water, hats, and hiking shoes. They began their trek at 9:30 a.m. and two hours later sent a message reporting exhaustion from the intense heat, stating they expected to finish the route within half an hour. Since then, no contact has been made.

Volunteers from the Arava Rescue Unit and teams from the Machtesh and Idan units have been urgently deployed to locate the family. Despite a slight drop in temperatures today, Israel remains in the grip of a severe heatwave with temperatures significantly above average, causing extreme heat stress across many regions. The search is critical given the harsh weather conditions and the family's last known status of heat exhaustion.