Israeli police and volunteers found the body of a 23-year-old New Jersey man in a Jerusalem forest on Thursday while searching for the American student who had gone missing last week, sources confirmed to Fox News on Thursday. With no signs of violence found on the body, forensic investigators were working to determine the cause of death, Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.
Aaron Sofer, a Jewish seminary student from New Jersey, vanished on Friday while hiking in the woods with his friend not far from Israel's Yad Vashem Holocaust History Museum, Reuters reported. After losing contact with Sofer, his friend reported the disappearance to authorities, Rosenfeld said earlier this week.
Over the week, Israel News Feed and other local outlets have posted several photos on Twitter of intense police activity in the area. "A body has been found in the Jerusalem forest. It is not clear if the disappearance was personal (or a) kidnapping. It's not clear at all," Rosenfeld said.
Sofer's disappearance comes two months after what Israeli authorities have called the revenge killing of Palestinian teen Mohammed Abu Khedair, 16, CNN reported. His body was found in the Jerusalem Forest on July 2, just miles from where Sofer went missing.
Sofer's parents, Moshe and Chulda, had flown from New Jersey to Israel on Monday to be in contact with authorities as the search proceeded, offering a $30,000 reward for information leading to the whereabouts of their son, an Orthodox student who had been studying in Israel for at least the past year, Fox News reported.
Yoel Sofer, his brother, said Aaron had gone out for a daylong hike during a study break. "He came to take a little walk. He had his shoes, his hat and jacket, he just needed a little fresh air," the brother said earlier. "We just want him back. Whatever anyone can do to get him back. Please pray for him."
"Israeli police previously said they were probing all possible avenues in the investigation, including the possibility that Sofer may have been kidnapped by Palestinian militants while navigating a steep incline with a friend in the Beit Zayit area of the forest," Fox News reported.
The body will now be transferred to the Abu Kabir Forensics Center for positive identification, The Algemeiner reported.
