“Look under that tree. I see white bags. Pick them up and shake them out” one of the soldiers of the 202nd Paratroop Battalion taking part in Operation Brothers Return was heard saying as a Walla News journalist was permitted to accompany soldiers for a brief period. They were walking in a forest about eight minutes from Alon Shvut Junction where the boys, Gilad Shaar, Naftali Frenkel and Eyal Yifrach were abducted on Thursday night the eve of 15 Sivan 5774.

The scene is pastoral but the silence is broken by platoon sergeants shouting orders, making sure not a single item that might provide a clue to their whereabouts is missed. Soldier Yisor Dekel says “We know they wear eyeglasses and to find a pair would be helpful”.

The soldiers are in formation, a line stretching over one kilometer in length as they comb the area. They know they mustn’t miss a thing, searching for the smallest clue. The commanders constantly remind them of the importance of the mission and the need to remain vigilant, despite the oppressive heat-wave conditions. The path they take was selected and demarcated by senior officers and they dare not sway from their path.

One of the company commanders, Captain Eren Kahlon received notification of the kidnapping attack two weeks ago, on Friday morning 15 Sivan at 08:00. All of the soldiers who were off base were activated and at 16:30 on that erev Shabbos, they began searching in the area where the burned remains of the Hyundai sedan was found, near the PA village of Dura.

Captain Kahlon is no stranger to the area having been stationed there in the past. In actuality, back in 2011 he was almost killed when an IDF force spotted him, thinking he was a terrorist and opened fire at him. He proudly told Walla that when the call came to his troops on that Friday morning, there as a 100% response. Not a single soldier failed to comply with the emergency call-up, realizing the severity of the situation.

The search continues, becoming increasingly complex and difficult with each passing day but Kahlon states “We don’t give up and we will continue until they are found”. Some of the soldiers explained “We are thinking about and seeing the faces of the mothers. We will continue until they are found”.

“Just put yourself in the place of the family of these boys. What would you do” Kahlon added.

The brigade commander Colon Eliezer Toledano is out in the field among his troops. He is there to command as well as to encourage them. He explains his soldiers ask just how accurate the intelligence information is that led to the search, for the care and they are involved. “Not a single soldier has asked ‘when are we going home’ for they understand the mission and they remain committed” the colonel explained.

There are shouts and calls from down a deep wadi or another hidden area and for the soldiers, there were times where they believed the boys have been found, but to date, this has not occurred. One soldier explained they found freshly poured cement at one point. “We ran like crazy. We dug and dug but nothing was found”.

When some of the soldiers were asked “Do you think this is going to lead to anything? Perhaps it should be called off” they respond “If this were your brother what would you do” they exclaim, determined to continue until the boys are located.

When they began Kahlon told his troops that “There are professionals who are going to accompany us and give us direction. Do not be afraid to comment, suggest or ask” he explained. This is exactly what the soldiers are doing as morale remains high.

So as the families and Am Yisrael prepare for yet another Shabbos without knowing the location of the captives, the tefilos continue amid the constant hope that the word will come at any moment that the three bnei yeshivos have been found alive and well.

Names for Tehillim:

1. Yaakov Naftali ben Rachel Devorah

2. Gilad Michael ben Bat Galim

3. Eyal ben Iris Teshurah

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)