Dina Kogan, the mother of 4-year-old Yuval Kogan who has been missing since Thursday afternoon, called on the public to assist in the search, saying she fears her son may have been kidnapped on nationalistic grounds and may not be in the area. Searches resumed Friday morning.
The mother of 4-year-old Yuval Kogan, missing since Thursday afternoon, publicly appealed for help on Friday morning, saying she fears her son was kidnapped on nationalistic grounds and may no longer be in the area. Dina Kogan, a pediatrician, told Israeli media, 'My son is in danger of his life,' and urged the public to join the search. Search operations resumed at dawn on Friday, focusing on the Hof Hapot beach area in Ashkelon.
As The Zioneer reported at 14:03 on Thursday, initial search efforts were described as being conducted with 'real concern for his life.' Later reports on Thursday indicated that the mother had already expressed fears of a kidnapping motive, and security camera footage of the child was recovered. The boy was last seen on a dune with his father during a family picnic, according to earlier reports. The family's appeals for volunteers to search the Giv'ot Hofit area were also published Thursday.
The Zioneer has been tracking the case, with a dedicated topic page providing background. The disappearance of Yuval Kogan near Ashkelon's coastline has drawn a large-scale response involving police, rescue units, naval forces, air support, divers, and volunteers. The family has described the child as mature and emotionally intelligent.
The boy's whereabouts remain unknown, and no official confirmation of a kidnapping has been provided. The search continues, but the mother's statement introduces a possible nationalistic motive that has not been independently verified. The circumstances of the disappearance have not been officially clarified.
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Source and signal
- Internal intake