Noam Simchi, the volunteer who found 4-year-old Yuval Kogan earlier Friday, described how his search team lost their way and then spotted the child sitting under a tree, according to his account. Simchi said the child was in shock and asked for water.
Noam Simchi, the Breslov Hasid who located missing 4-year-old Yuval Kogan, provided a detailed account of the rescue in a phone call with President Isaac Herzog on Friday afternoon. Simchi said he spotted the child sitting under a tree after the search team lost their way, according to N12. 'When someone from the people of Israel is in trouble, we come first,' he told the president. The child was found alive earlier Friday near Nitzanim beach, ending a large-scale search that had begun that morning.
According to the thread of reports from The Zioneer, the search unfolded rapidly on Friday. At 14:56 Jerusalem, the Prison Service deployed the Tzur unit—which supervises sex offenders—along with drone teams and special forces. Shortly after, rescue services announced the child was found safe at a beach in Ashkelon. United Hatzalah reported a volunteer spotted the child standing under a tree, dehydrated but conscious. The rescuer was then identified as Noam Simchi, who had gone out on horseback from Ashdod. Simchi's account, later confirmed in his conversation with Herzog, described how he made a wrong turn at Nitzanim beach and found the child. The source quality evolved from official announcements (Prison Service) to a named rescuer's firsthand account.
As The Zioneer reported earlier in the day, the child's mother had appealed for help, describing her son as mature and emotionally intelligent. The father told National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir that 'there is something fishy here,' prompting Ben Gvir to say he would meet with the Shin Bet director. Later, the child gave testimony to police, stating that he lost his father and walked on foot.
The circumstances of the disappearance remain under investigation. The father's expression of suspicion and the involvement of the Shin Bet director suggest ongoing scrutiny. The child's police testimony may provide further clarity on the sequence of events.
10 developments
- DevelopingNetanyahu congratulates on safe return of Yuval Kogan, cites 'mutual responsibility'
- StrongAshkelon mayor: 'A clear miracle' to see Yuval Kogan in his mother's arms
- DevelopingPresident Herzog speaks with mother of missing child, calls for help in search
- StrongParents of missing Haymanot Kasaou welcome Yuval Kogan's discovery
Source and signal
- Open-source intake