Father Rescues Toddler Snatched From Stroller in Kiryat Gat

A man in his 40s was arrested Friday afternoon in Kiryat Gat on suspicion of attempting to abduct a three-year-old girl while she sat in her stroller. According to the investigation, the suspect pulled the child from the stroller and ran from the scene carrying her in his arms.

The girl's father, who witnessed the incident, immediately gave chase. Within moments he caught up with the suspect, and a physical struggle broke out as the father fought to pull his daughter from the man's grip.

"He refused to give me the child and used force"

Police officers who rushed to the scene arrested the suspect on the spot on suspicion of attempted abduction. The father recounted the terrifying moments to investigators: "He refused to give me the child and used force."

The suspect was taken in for questioning at the police station, where he denied the allegations and claimed he had no criminal intent. "I thought the people near the stroller were not the child's real parents. I was wrong about that. I did not intend to abduct the child or harm her," he told investigators.

A disturbing detail emerged during the investigation: just days before the incident, the suspect had been arrested by police and issued a restraining order barring him from the girl's family. The suspect's detention was extended by four days, and police investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances of the incident.