The Knesset this week approved in its first reading a groundbreaking bill aimed at providing formal recognition and support for families of missing civilians in Israel.
Nearly 500 days after the disappearance of nine-year-old Hymanut Kassou, volunteers from the Israel Dog Unit (IDU), a nonprofit organization specializing in working dogs, continue their determined search efforts this week, expanding the search to an entirely new area of Israel.
Unlike previous searches, which had been held in the more northern Tzfat region where Hymanut disappeared, the search this week focused on an area in the center of Israel. IDU volunteers and working dogs, along with representatives of the family, combed through challenging terrain and dense brush in hopes of finding any trace of the missing child.
“We at the IDU remain committed to methodically eliminating potential search zones and standing by the Kassou family in their time of need,” said the IDU in a statement. “The mission is far from over. We remain fully dedicated to it, and we join all of Israel in praying for good news.”
Amid the ongoing search efforts, a significant development took place in the Knesset this week with the first reading approval of a groundbreaking bill aimed at providing formal recognition and support for families of missing civilians in Israel.
The bill, titled “Assistance to Families of Missing Civilians Law, 2024,” was initiated by MK Tzvika Foghel of the Otzma Yehudit party, who serves as Chair of the National Security Committee. The legislation consolidates similar proposals from multiple Knesset members and is expected to be brought before the full Knesset for a vote in the near future.
The initiative comes after years of struggle by families of missing persons who have lacked official recognition and institutional support. Among the key figures behind the legislation are Vered and Shuki Minivetzky, whose son Daniel disappeared nearly a decade ago. Their advocacy, through the organization Biladeihem (In Their Absence), has been instrumental in pushing this issue into the national spotlight.
At a special session of the National Security Committee held on Monday, the emotional testimonies of families brought many in the room to tears. Their stories highlighted the pain of not knowing the fate of a loved one and the urgent need for comprehensive support.
IDU director Yekutiel Ben-Yaakov expressed strong support for the legislation: “I commend MK Tzvika Foghel and all those involved in this sacred work. I sincerely hope this important law is enacted as soon as possible. It is time Israel establishes a better framework for locating missing persons, with full inter-agency cooperation, and recognizes the central role of organizations like the IDU that specialize in search and rescue.”
The Knesset meeting was attended by the parents of Hymanut, the mother of missing teen Moishe Kleinerman, the parents of Daniel Minivetzky, and Avraham Mizrahi, son of Chai Matityahu Mizrahi, who went missing in 1997. The fate of each of these missing individuals remains unknown to this day.
