After three days of investigation and searches across Israel and Europe, Israeli police traced the route of Mali and Liel Yahalomi—who were located in Buenos Aires. A gag order was issued to prevent the two from changing their route. They bought a new mobile device and abandoned their old ones, and police also uncovered AI chat logs showing the departure was planned about a month in advance. Investigators told Channel 14: “We understood very quickly that they left of their own free will.” After several days of searches and investigation conducted in Israel and Europe, investigators managed to trace the route of the mother and daughter. Yesterday they were located safe and sound on a bus in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
3+Details that reached Channel 14 show that police began connecting the pieces of the puzzle early in the investigation and understood that the two left voluntarily. As part of the investigation, a gag order was issued, designed to prevent disruption or contamination of the investigation and primarily to prevent Mali and Liel from realizing that police were tracking their route and changing it. The concern among investigators was that continued publication of rumors and details on social media and in the press could cause the two to change their plans—thereby significantly extending the search and making it harder to locate them.
3+Following the report received from the family about their absence, various intelligence systems were activated. The Intelligence Division of the police worked with elements in Europe, and later the operation was expanded to South America.
The indication was received before Friday
This evening (Saturday night) we are reporting that police received an indication regarding Mali and Liel’s location before Friday and acted accordingly. The two flew to Argentina on Thursday and landed there yesterday in the early afternoon hours, according to local time. Until their departure for South America, the two stayed in several European countries—the Czech Republic, Austria, and Germany. Along the way they bought a new mobile device and abandoned their old phones, in order to obscure their tracks and make it harder to locate them.
3+The significant indication regarding their destination was received from the airline, which reported to authorities that the two boarded a flight to South America that had been booked in advance. In Israel it was decided to maintain silence, despite reports published in foreign media, so as not to reveal to the two the fact that authorities already knew where they were headed. At the same time, Israeli police representative in South America, Walter Kogan, entered the picture as soon as the report was received from the airline—and was involved in the subsequent operations that led to locating the two.
The uncovered correspondence and the departure planned in advance
Investigators say they managed to build Mali and Liel’s movement route through collecting information and findings from several scenes and intelligence systems. Police also have partial messages exchanged between mother and daughter, which reinforce their version that they left the country of their own free will.
3+In addition, investigators accessed the two’s correspondence through AI tools. From the correspondence, investigators concluded that leaving the country was not a momentary decision, but rather a move planned about a month before their departure for Europe. According to Mali and Liel, the decision to leave Israel stemmed from financial difficulties they encountered. However, investigators emphasize that these are not large sums. From the police’s perspective, these are two adult women who made a decision on their own, and as the picture became clearer, the understanding strengthened that there is no suspicion of a criminal incident in the affair.
“They knew they were being searched for—and continued on their way”
Senior sources on the investigation team told Channel 14 that Mali and Liel were aware of the searches for them, but decided not to contact their family and to continue on the route they had planned. “They said they were aware that they were being searched for, but despite this continued on their way without contacting the family. That’s their right,” the sources said. “They were embarrassed. It’s not a simple situation and they felt uncomfortable both from the public and from family members, but chose to continue on their way at the end of the questioning. They had the option to return to Israel and they chose not to.”
It was also learned that the two’s family members were updated on developments before the video was published in which Malli and Liel were documented after being located. The video was first transferred to the family and only then published to the public. Throughout the investigation, a police officer maintained continuous contact with family members and updated them on developments, subject to the limitations of the investigation.
“The family is hurting and needs time”
Alongside the end of the searches and the news that the two are safe and sound, police say that family members are now dealing with significant difficulty following the developments. “The internet is full of rumors about Mali and Liel, while the family was certain they had been caught up in a nationalist incident,” said sources involved in the investigation. “The family is hurting and needs time to deal with the understanding that Mali and Liel left voluntarily. An officer on our behalf is in contact with the family and updated them with all the details.”
According to them, from the police’s perspective the incident has essentially reached its conclusion: “From here on, this is an incident that needs to be handled at the family level. Our role was to locate them and understand that their condition is good and they chose to leave voluntarily, as we suspected from the beginning.” The investigation is now nearing completion, after no suspicion of criminal activity arose. Investigators ask to distinguish between the very absence of Mali and Liel—which led to opening the searches and police activity—and the questions that remain open regarding the circumstances that led them to leave Israel and cut off contact with their family.