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A remarkable twist brought a happy ending Friday to the search for 4-year-old Yuval Kogan, who disappeared near the beaches of Ashkelon, after a Breslover chassid searching on horseback accidentally took a wrong turn and stumbled upon the missing child standing beneath a tree.

The child, who had been missing since Thursday afternoon, was found alive and unharmed after an intensive overnight search involving hundreds of emergency personnel and volunteers.

The man who located Yuval was identified as Noam Simchi, a Breslover chassid from Ashdod. Simchi had joined the search effort Friday morning, riding his horse in an attempt to help cover the difficult terrain surrounding the Ashkelon coastline.

Recalling the dramatic moment, Simchi said he had never intended to reach the location where the boy was eventually found.

“I took a wrong turn with the horse on the way to the beach, and I saw the child standing under a tree,” Simchi said emotionally. “He looked at me. Thank G-d. Say Mizmor L’sodah. Thank Hashem.”

The search for Yuval began Thursday at approximately 1:00 p.m. after the boy disappeared in the sand dunes between the cliffs and the shoreline north of Ashkelon.

According to reports, Yuval had been on a family outing with his father and sisters. At one point, he wandered toward a bush in the dunes to explore. After just three or four minutes during which his family lost sight of him, he had vanished.

Over the next 24 hours, hundreds of emergency responders raced against the clock to locate the child. Volunteers from ZAKA, Israel Police, Magen David Adom, rescue divers, and numerous other emergency organizations searched by land, sea, and air.

Authorities deployed drones, off-road vehicles, and specialized technological equipment as crews combed the challenging landscape.

Search teams faced particularly difficult conditions. The area where Yuval disappeared is an undeclared beach with no lifeguards or breakwaters and includes steep cliffs, expansive sand dunes, and open coastline, making the search especially complex.

Aryeh Blumenfeld, commander of the ZAKA 360 Ashkelon unit, praised the volunteers’ determination following the successful rescue.

“After a full day of searching by ZAKA 360 volunteers, the child was found safe and sound. I want to thank all of the volunteers who worked in the field and never gave up until he was found,” Blumenfeld said.

During the search, Israeli President Isaac Herzog personally called Yuval’s mother, Dina Kogan, to express his concern and support. Herzog told her he was in close contact with Israel Police Commissioner Daniel Levy and Shin Bet Director David Zini regarding the ongoing search efforts.

Before her son was found, Dina Kogan, a pediatrician, voiced fears that her son’s disappearance might involve something more serious than a child who had simply become lost.

“I am worried they are searching in the same place. I am afraid this may be a kidnapping,” she said. “I want additional forces beyond the police and the Shin Bet. I want everyone mobilized. These are critical hours. Everyone needs to be on their feet—this is a matter of life and death.”

With Yuval now safely reunited with his family, relief has spread throughout Israel after a search that captivated the nation.

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{Matzav.com}

A massive search operation involving hundreds of police officers, volunteers, rescue personnel, and civilians ended Friday with the miraculous discovery of 4-year-old Yuval Kogan, who had been missing for more than 24 hours after disappearing near Hofit Beach in Ashkelon.

Yuval’s disappearance triggered an unprecedented nationwide search effort. Hundreds of police officers, Border Police troops, volunteer rescue teams, and civilians from across Israel joined the operation. The Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) also assisted in the search, while Israel Police Commissioner Daniel Levy ordered police academy cadets to be deployed to reinforce the teams combing the area.

The dramatic rescue took place after a civilian volunteer participating in the search unexpectedly came across the missing boy.

According to the man, he had not intended to search the area where Yuval was ultimately found. After accidentally taking the wrong route while driving toward Nitzanim Beach, he suddenly noticed the child standing beneath a tree.

Overcome with emotion, the man recalled the moment he found Yuval.

“I took a wrong turn, and suddenly I noticed the child standing under a tree. There is a Hakadosh Boruch Hu in this world. Thank G-d. This is a child who brought the entire country to its feet.”

He also urged the public to offer thanks for the outcome.

“Everyone should say a chapter of Tehillim or Mizmor L’sodah. We accomplished this together, through unity and unconditional love.”

Earlier Friday, before Yuval was found, his mother, Dina Kogan, made an emotional public appeal for additional volunteers to join the search effort.

“We are in critical hours and my child is in mortal danger,” she told Ynet. “Maybe this is a kidnapping. The Shin Bet and the police are not enough. The entire country needs to be on its feet.”

According to authorities, Yuval was last seen Thursday at approximately 12:50 p.m. near Hofit Beach in Ashkelon while on an outing with his father.

His father, Dmitry (“Danny”) Kogan, said he lost sight of the boy for only a few minutes. When he began searching for him and was unable to locate him, he immediately contacted police, setting in motion the massive search operation that concluded Friday with the joyful discovery of the missing child alive.

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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has emerged as the early favorite for the 2028 Democratic presidential nomination in New Hampshire, while Vice President JD Vance continues to lead the Republican field despite Secretary of State Marco Rubio making significant gains, according to a new Granite State poll.

Among likely Democratic primary voters, Ocasio-Cortez received 22% support, narrowly edging out former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who drew 21%.

Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly finished a distant third with 9%, followed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom at 8%, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont at 6%, and former Vice President Kamala Harris at 5%. No other potential Democratic contender exceeded 2% support.

The poll indicates that Ocasio-Cortez has gained momentum since February, climbing seven percentage points. Over the same period, Newsom’s support declined by seven points, while Harris dropped five points.

Ocasio-Cortez performed especially well among voters who identify as socialists and progressives, while Buttigieg attracted a broader coalition, drawing support relatively evenly from progressives, liberals, and moderates.

The New York congresswoman also posted the strongest favorability numbers among likely Democratic primary voters. Sixty-four percent viewed her favorably, while 9% held an unfavorable opinion. Buttigieg also received strong marks, with 69% viewing him favorably and 15% unfavorably.

On the Republican side, Vance remained the frontrunner with 36% support among likely GOP primary voters. Rubio, however, surged to 26%, representing a 19-point increase since February.

Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley each received 8%, followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 6% and former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard at 4%.

Although Vance’s support has fallen by 17 percentage points since February, he continues to hold a commanding advantage among conservatives, who favor him over Rubio by a 49% to 29% margin.

Rubio’s strongest support came from Republicans who identify as moderates and libertarians.

The survey also underscored President Donald Trump’s continuing influence within the Republican Party.

Two-thirds of likely Republican primary voters said they want the party’s 2028 presidential nominee to continue building on Trump’s presidency, while 28% said they would prefer the party take a different direction.

The poll also found that 43% of likely Republican primary voters said a Trump endorsement would make them more likely to support a candidate, while another 43% said such an endorsement would have little or no impact. Thirteen percent said a Trump endorsement would make them less likely to support a Republican candidate.

The survey questioned 1,458 adults in New Hampshire between July 15 and July 20. The overall margin of error was plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.

Among likely Democratic primary voters, the margin of error was plus or minus 3.8 percentage points, while the Republican primary sample carried a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points.

{Matzav.com}

Updated: The two Israelis killed in Friday morning’s deadly terror attack near Havat Gilad have been identified as Major Yuval Ezra, 27, and Master Sergeant (Res.) Benayahu Melet, 32, both of whom were serving in security roles when they were fatally shot by terrorists in Samaria.

The Israel Defense Forces announced Friday afternoon that Ezra, a resident of Herzliya, was killed while carrying out operational duties near the Arab village of Tal.

“Major Yuval Ezra, a resident of Herzliya, served as an Artillery Battery Commander in the 411th Battalion, 282nd Brigade, and fell during operational activity” near the Arab village of Tal, the IDF announced Friday afternoon.

The military also confirmed the death of Melet, who was serving in the reserves while protecting his hometown.

“Master Sergeant (Res.) Benayahu Melet, from Yitzhar, served as a combat commander in the 8119th Battalion of the Jerusalem Brigade (16), and fell during operational activity while serving as a local defense security guard” near the town.

A resident of Havat Gilad, Melet was a member of the community’s emergency response team and also served as the community’s agricultural coordinator. When reports came in that hikers were under terrorist attack nearby, he rushed to the scene to assist. During the rescue effort, he was shot and killed by the attackers.

He is survived by his wife, Esther, and their two daughters, ages 12 and 13.

Melet had previously earned recognition for preventing what security officials believed could have been a devastating terror attack in 2021. While driving with his daughters near the Eli Junction, he noticed an individual wearing what appeared to be an IDF uniform but displaying several suspicious inconsistencies.

He later explained that the man was unarmed despite the uniform, his boots and beret did not match, the military rank on his uniform seemed inconsistent with his age, and he was carrying an unusually large bag.

After notifying security forces, Melet continued tracking the suspect until soldiers arrived and arrested him. Authorities reportedly found a hunting rifle, a knife, pepper spray, a yarmulka, and three berets from different IDF units inside the suspect’s bag. At the time, the IDF credited Melet’s alertness with likely preventing a major terrorist attack.

Melet had also publicly opposed reopening the Gilad Road to Palestinian Arab traffic, warning that the decision would place nearby Jewish communities at greater risk. He argued that if lives were ultimately lost, responsibility would rest with those who approved the policy.

The Yerushalayim Brigade Association said Melet served as a platoon commander in Battalion 8119 of the Jerusalem Brigade.

In the spring of 2025, he was honored as his company’s outstanding soldier. Several months later, in November, he entered the IDF Reserve Infantry Officers Course, which he was nearing completion of. Alongside his reserve duties, he continued serving with the Samaria Regional Brigade as part of Havat Gilad’s emergency response team.

Samaria Regional Council chairman Yossi Dagan remembered Melet as an extraordinary individual whose devotion to his family, community, and country defined his life.

“He was an exceptional young man, a man among men. I have known him since he was a child. He had a heart of gold, was a truly devoted family man, loved the Land of Israel with all his soul, and came from a deeply-rooted family. He was dedicated to protecting Israel’s national lands and was a scholar involved in research on Israel’s security. I remember him during the arson attack at Havat Gilad on Saturday, running to save lives.”

“Today as well, he courageously rushed to save lives during the terror attack. We will always stand by his wife Esther and the entire family. At this difficult moment, we embrace the beloved family and the residents of Havat Gilad. Despite our enemies’ intentions, the communities of Samaria will continue to grow and become even stronger.”

The Havat Gilad community also issued a statement mourning the loss of one of its own.

“‘How the mighty have fallen…’ With profound pain and great sorrow that we announce the murder of Benayahu Melet, may G-d avenge his blood, in a terror attack by lowly terrorists while rescuing a group of hikers in the area.”

“Our hearts are with Esther, Tair, Eretz, Adama Ivriya, and the entire Melet family, and we will do everything we can to support them.”

The statement concluded with a posuk from Yeshayah 25:8, “He has concealed death forever, and the Lord God shall wipe the tears off every face.”

President Isaac Herzog also expressed his condolences following the attack.

“The heart breaks upon hearing the news of the murder of Benayahu Melet, a member of the alert squad of Havat Gilad, in the severe terror attack in Samaria.”

“I send my deepest condolences to his dear family, his friends, and the community of Havat Gilad, and I pray for the complete recovery of the wounded.

“I strengthen the security forces operating with determination to protect Israel’s citizens. Against the murderous terror that seeks to harm our lives and our security, we must stand united and resolute. We will not allow terror to prevail.”

{Matzav.com}