The Israel Prison Service is deploying its specialized Tzur search unit following an instruction from the Prisons Commissioner, to assist in locating a missing child. Further details on the child and the search area were not immediately released.
The Israel Prison Service (IPS) announced Friday afternoon that its Prisons Commissioner has ordered the deployment of the Tzur unit, a specialized search and rescue team, to assist in the search for 4-year-old Yuval Kogan, who has been missing since Thursday evening near Ashkelon beach. The directive came as the large-scale operation continues with no confirmed lead.
The search effort has escalated throughout Friday. At 09:59 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that a Ports Authority scanning vessel equipped with advanced gear had joined the search, following an instruction from Transport Minister Miri Regev. Police Commissioner Danny Levi also arrived at the scene Friday morning, ordering the mobilization of all police cadets and Border Police personnel. The mother of Yuval Kogan has publicly urged authorities to investigate the possibility of abduction, as police helicopters continue aerial sweeps.
The Zioneer has been tracking the search since Friday morning, noting the rapid deployment of multiple resources — from maritime scanning to aerial surveillance — as the operation enters its second day. The Tzur unit, typically used for locating missing persons and escaped prisoners, adds ground search capability to the ongoing efforts.
No new information has been released regarding the child's whereabouts or the specific search area. The cause of disappearance remains unconfirmed, with both accidental and criminal possibilities under investigation.
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