Breaking: Bodies of 3 Kidnapped Israeli Teens Found

At around 12:30 EST today, we received the devastating news that the bodies of the three kidnapped Israeli teens – Eyal Yifrach, 19, Gilad Shaar, 16, and Naftali Frankel, 16 – were found by soldiers of the IDF in Chalchul, a Palestinian town about 1km north of Chevron. All three were killed by their captors, r”l.

The teens’ bodies were reportedly found buried together in one grave; it is yet unclear at what point after their capture they were murdered.

Heavy fighting is being reported as well between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian terrorists in the area where the teens’ bodies were found.

The three teenagers, students of Yeshivas Mekor Chaim in the Gush Etzion area south of Jerusalem, which is led by Rabbi Adin Even Yisroel-Steinsaltz, were abducted two and a half weeks ago while trying to hitch a ride near Chevron.

An extensive manhunt was launched by the Israeli Defense Force in the wake of their disappearance, as Jews and non-Jews all over the world rallied to their cause, with the hashtag #BringBackOurBoys trending on Twitter and other social media.

The Israeli government has laid the blame for their capture at the feet of Hamas, an internationally recognized Terrorist entity that rules the Gaza Strip and has recently signed a unity deal with the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.

This is a developing news story. We will update it with more information as it becomes available.

Boruch Dayan Hoemes

59 Comments

    • Eva Gerard

      i’m saddened here in Australia to hear about these beautiful boys, so sad to hear that no one is safe in Israel.

  • No no no

    No no no no no why?!?!?! Why can’t there ever be good news?!WHY?!BDE
    oy oy oy

  • Baruch Dayan Emes

    Fault lies totally in the Israeli Gov’t, Israeli police, The superiors in the Israeli army.
    Who gave them Gaza?
    G-D does his part!!!
    Thousands of missilles falling in open fields.
    If Israel would start killing out the Arab prisioners, instead of letting them go, yesterday,
    They would start backing off, and the world would have a little respect for us.
    G-D should have Rachmanus on Am Yisroel, and reveal MOSHIACH now.

    • random name

      Israelis must strive to be better than their enemies. The death penalty is reserve solely for Nazis. All others are imprisoned. This includes murderers and rapists.

      Just because you can take the life of a killer does not mean you should.

      Also, I would argue that while they did release Arab prisoners, I doubt that the IDF was not keeping a very close watch on where they are. that is why they were able to make so many arrests of Hamas members the day after the 3 were reported kidnapped.

      If we start killing them, the supporters we have may start switching and seeing us as oppressors instead of defending ourselves.

      Killing your enemy in battle is one thing (and useless because you cannot interrogate him and get information), killing your prisoner is quite another; it should not, and is not, practiced in Israel.

    • Ezra

      “random name,” we live according to the Torah, not according to what our oppressors think. You say that “just because you can take the life of a killer does not mean you should,” yet the Torah states “mos yumas harotzeiach” – a murderer is to be put to death. And that is how it should be, in any civilized society.

  • BDE

    Every time the Arabs do this let us flood Israel with another million Jews who will move there.

    • random name

      This was not Bibi.

      Sad as it is, this is 3 boys that hitchhiked when they shouldn’t in an area known to be dangerous.

      I’m not saying it’s the teens fault entirely,
      I’m saying it was in no way Bibi’s fault.

      with the trend of teens hitchhiking in these areas instead of taking the bus, in areas like chevron which are very close to Palestinian territories, this was bound to happen.

      When I was younger I hitched with my cousins all the time in Haifa and other areas of Israel. Looking back, I was very stupid for doing so and am amazed nothing happened to me.

    • Ezra

      “She was wearing a short skirt! She deserved to be raped!” – random name’s take on things

  • Reply for "sick sick sick!!!!!"

    You can’t say this is the world, this is a specific group called Hamas.

    • Sick is correct

      This is the world. most people sit in their little corner and hide from the world. Some of us are out there in the world all the time. The world acts and thinks like this.

  • Am Yisroel Chai!

    I’ve been praying to G-d to do his will, whatever it may be. His choice. But they are gone. After all this searching. It’s miserably sad. I’m beyond words or in any place to say anything, but, G-d has them. They are in Hashimim. Those monsters will be brought to justice. As if they don’t have anything better to do than kidnap children for being Jewish. Ridiculous. They’ll be brought down just like every other who has gone against G-d’s people. But the greatest nation is still standing! Am Yisroel Chai!!!!!!!!!!

  • MOSHIACH NOW

    this is crazy ….. MOSHIACH…. WHERE ARE U ALREADY!!!!!!??????!!!!!!!??????

  • Ma Rabbi

    May hashem avenge their blood.
    These animals must be taught a lesson they will never forget.

  • WHAT???

    I CANT BELIEVE!! THIS IS SO SAD!!!!
    BORUCH DAYAN HAEMES!!
    MOSHIACH NEEDS TO COME NOW!!!!!!!

  • Ad Mosai

    Ad mosai!!!!!!!!!!!
    Moshiach NOW!!!!!!!!
    This is really terrible news!!!!!
    what a golus!!!!!!!

    Hamokoim yenachem eschem besoch shaar aveilei tzion veyerushalayim.

    Rebbe enough is enough!!!!!

  • ...

    Sad day! I send my prayers to the families of these three innocent boys. May G-d spare them any further pain.

  • This is a test

    Soon H’B will show us the Bright and Full Picture
    The hurt will turn to joy
    The answers will be provided for all questions
    The peace will stay for ever

  • How much longer?

    How much longer is this dark and dreary Golus? How much longer till Moshiach gets here? How much longer will it take for the Israeli government to realize that you dare not make “peace” with the blasted ugly cruel Palestinians/Hamas/whatever people who are just out to destroy us r”l.
    Yiddalach shreit Ad Mosai! Moshiach Immediately Now!!!

  • Imma

    They were not trying to hitchhike near Chevron. Their bodies were found near Hevron. They were trying to catch a ride at Tzomet Ha Gush, near Kfar Etzion.

    • random name

      Does not matter where they were trying to hitchhike. They should not have been hitchhike at all.

      it is a dangerous practice that is too common in Israel, and sadly this was bound to happen.

      I hitch hiked all the time when I was younger in Israel and when I look back I can’t believe how stupid I was for doing so. The buses are cheap now, they were even cheaper then.
      I’m very lucky that nothing ever happened to me.

      It is very sad what happened to these three boys, but the lesson still has not been learned because I still hear of teens in Israel continuing to hitchhike even after this occurred.

  • esther(Benarroch)Michael

    bde it is so sad. we need to take the animals who did this to them and put them in the hot seat.

  • Harold

    Blessed is the True Judge. May Hashem comfort their families. And their murderers should be swiftly brought to justice.

  • Israel Forever

    Im very saddened about this horrible news my heart breaks. I feel for these mothers who must be unconsolable I am a mother of teens and they are my life. There is so much evil in this world these boys were hurting no one they were coming home from school. May they rest in peace .

  • On the Eve of Gimel Tammuz

    This is no coincidence! It is the Eve of Gimel Tammuz.

    There is CLEARLY a private message here for us – chassidim, but what is the message?

    We have eyes but cannot see, we have ears but cannot hear… .

  • boruch dayan ha'emes

    wwwwwwwwwwwwhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyhashem?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • leo

    no me quedan lágrimas,,, solo mucho dolor,,, angustia,,,,
    Hashem AYUDANOSSSSS!!!!!!!

  • Hindy

    What good is blaming the government, police, etc….
    This is not a time to blame, this is a time to unite as one nation. Hashem should bring comfort to the families of Eyal, Gilad, and Naftali. May he avenge their blood and may the savages be brought quickly to justice.

  • To "On the Eve of Gimel Tammuz"

    To “On the Eve of Gimel Tammuz”

    NEWS FLASH: The world does not rotate around Chabad.

    This tragic destruction of 3 worlds is a tisha b’Av felt by ALL of klal yisroel.

    It isn’t a “private message” to chassidim or any segment of klal yisroel to whom Gimmel Tamuz is just the Third Day of Tammuz.

    • Misnaged

      You do not belong on a Chaad site. Go back to Lakewood or Ponevitch or whatever swamp you come from.

    • To 47

      I actually think what he said was very nice and if u don’t like it then maybe don’t be on a chabad site

  • CRYakovov

    Hashem, AVENGE OUR BLOOD NOW!!!!!!!!
    Say it with every breath I take.
    Every footstep I make.
    I’m not going to cry,
    Only scream
    for you to
    pour
    out
    your
    wrath
    on the “people” who did this.
    Who do this every day.
    Even those that do it in a subtle way.

  • chayaf

    Oh HaShem..pour out Thy wrath on these sub humans. What have you brought us to? after aushwitz, now what? HaShem…please help us….

  • declasse' intellectual

    #8, A long time ago the Rebbe warned that if you gave into them and exchanged land for peace, you would lose the land and gain no peace or rest!!!!
    Now, Obama and Kerry in an effort to salvage peace want Israel to commit self suicide. and Obama wants to send aid to the Syrian rebels–whose track record with the terrorist organizations is well documented. And, then there is ISIS Heaven help Israel and the world if they prevail.

  • B Sefton

    Isreal should now finish off Hamas one & for all. They have been to soft. Now is the time to anex land & forget to make a peace settlement.They are Arabs & cannot be trusted.

  • AHHH!!!!!!!!

    NO. NO. NO. NO! This can’t be real….ahh! PLEASE NO ITS A NIGHTMARE, NO! Oy oy oy..my heart is shattered. Oh why Hashem why…No it can’t be true it’s not them!!!! Hashem Yinkom Damam & Zechronom Tzadikim L’vracha….no…