ASHKELON, Israel (VINnews) — A 4-year-old Israeli boy who disappeared during a family outing at Ashkelon’s northern beach was found alive Friday afternoon after an extensive overnight search involving police, rescue teams and hundreds of volunteers.

Yuval Kogan vanished Thursday afternoon after wandering into dense vegetation while on a picnic with his father and two older sisters. Security cameras captured the family shortly before he disappeared.

The child was found nearly 24 hours later in the dunes, where searchers said he was standing beneath a tree. He was reunited with his family and taken for medical evaluation.

As the search intensified, Yuval’s mother, Dr. Dina Kogan, a pediatrician, appealed for the public’s help and urged authorities to consider every possibility, including an abduction. She said the prolonged disappearance placed the child in immediate danger and expressed fears that someone else could have been involved.

The circumstances surrounding how Yuval survived and where he spent the night were not immediately clear.

🚨Celebrations of the hundreds of volunteers at Ashkelon beach after the location of 4 years old Yuval Kogan alive and well more than 24 hours after going missing on a family trip https://t.co/fCM5kRC8dQ pic.twitter.com/lar93kUrZQ

— גיא עזריאל Guy Azriel (@GuyAz) July 24, 2026