The Israel Police confirmed that the two women, who had been missing since last Friday, were located alive. Video released by police showed Mali and Liel aboard a bus in Buenos Aires.
“The Israel Police, in full cooperation with all security agencies and relevant entities in Israel and abroad, operated over the past few days in an extensive and focused effort to locate the missing women,” the Israel Police said.
“Under the direction of the Israel Police Commissioner, Chief Commissioner Danny Levy, the police – led by Lahav 433 and the Police Intelligence Division – operated command centers in Israel and overseas 24/7. They allocated all necessary resources and capabilities to locate them and executed hundreds of investigative actions.”
“Following extensive efforts and joint cooperation among all agencies, including Europol and additional foreign law enforcement organizations, the missing women were located. The Israel Police expresses its gratitude to all partners in Israel and abroad for their cooperation and assistance throughout the search efforts,” the statement concluded.
A senior police official told Channel 12 News that investigators successfully reconstructed the women’s movements and ultimately pinpointed the exact bus on which they were traveling. According to the official, authorities quickly came to believe that the departure had been voluntary and that there was no immediate indication of foul play, though officers still needed to confirm their physical safety in person.
After making contact with the mother and daughter and verifying that they were unharmed and not victims of any criminal act, investigators officially closed the case. Since no legal basis existed to detain them, police allowed the pair to continue their journey.
The same police official said the women had accumulated financial debts, which led them to leave Israel.
In a statement released after they were found, the Yahalomi family said, “Above all, the family feels immense relief that Mali and Liel have been located and are alive.”
“The family wishes to thank the Israeli public for their concern and goodwill, as well as the Israel Police, the Israeli Consul in Vienna, Magen Search and Rescue, and the rescue team members.”
Confirmation that the two had been located came shortly after Austrian authorities announced that the mother and daughter had departed Vienna on their own. Vienna was the last city where they had been seen before disappearing.
Israeli media later reported that the pair traveled by train from Vienna into Germany before boarding a flight to Argentina.
Earlier in the investigation, as speculation intensified over what may have happened, family members urged security officials not to dismiss any possible explanation for the disappearance.
“For a week now, we wake up every morning with the same prayer – to find you safe and sound and bring you home. Please do not stop searching,” the family said. They added that they “demand all security and investigative authorities continue examining all potential scenarios, including the possibility of a terror-related motive, until it is definitively ruled out based on concrete findings.”
Investigators had also obtained surveillance footage showing Mali and Liel leaving the apartment building where they had been staying in Vienna. The video showed the two carrying their belongings as they exited, with no one else accompanying them.
