Searches are being conducted in the Binyamin area for Binyamin Achimeir, a 14-year-old Jewish shepherd who has been missing since this morning.
According to the report, the shepherd left at six in the morning, but later the flock he led returned to the village of Malachei HaShalom without him.
Israeli Defense Forces soldiers, Border Police, trackers, Unit 636, dog handlers, and special forces, with the assistance of aerial reconnaissance and under the command of Binyamin Brigade Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Liron Biton, are participating in the search.
The regional council has stated that no additional volunteers are needed.
Representatives of his family claim to have been warned that multiple terrorist cells were targeting their area over the past month. The ISA is involved in the search but has not confirmed it to be a terrorist incident.
The IDF has completely encircled and closed off nea by Palestinian towns. Searchers, including large numbers of civilians, have been reported entering Palestinian cities. Violent clashes have broken out between residents and searchers. Palestinian media reports that one Palestinian has been killed and several more injured so far.
Due to the fears that the missing teen is in mortal danger, a religious dispensation has been issued by senior Rabbis for Jewish searchers to carry on the search into Shabbat, based on a fundamental precept of Jewish law that states that mortal danger overrides the prohibitions of Shabbat.