Israeli investigators now believe that the disappearance of Mali and Liel Yahalomi was not a spur-of-the-moment decision but the result of a carefully orchestrated plan developed over an extended period. According to the investigation, the mother and daughter allegedly erased digital evidence, withdrew cash, and even used artificial intelligence to help avoid detection before leaving Israel.
Police say newly uncovered evidence, including private messages exchanged between the two, indicates that the disappearance was deliberately planned in advance rather than carried out impulsively.
Investigators believe Mali Yahalomi, who was divorced and experiencing financial hardship, intended to leave her former life behind and begin anew outside Israel. Authorities now believe her daughter, Liel, knowingly participated in the plan from the outset.
Among the evidence recovered by investigators was a message in which Liel told her mother, “I’ll go with you anywhere.” Police say the correspondence reinforced their assessment that Liel was aware of the plan beforehand and willingly accompanied her mother.
Authorities also explored the possibility that the disappearance was connected to criminal activity or family-related issues. However, investigators said they found no evidence of domestic abuse or unusual financial liabilities, concluding that the pair had been living otherwise ordinary lives and that their departure was a voluntary decision rather than the result of any immediate danger.
Another factor supporting that conclusion, investigators said, was the withdrawal of approximately 50,000 shekels from Mali Yahalomi’s bank account shortly before she left Israel.
“Mali simply wanted to disappear from the world,” a senior official familiar with the investigation said.
Police also believe the two spent considerable time preparing for their journey. According to investigators, they deleted applications and other information from their mobile phones, allegedly used artificial intelligence to learn techniques for avoiding detection, and took additional measures to complicate efforts to trace their movements. Authorities further believe Mali may have traveled abroad previously to scout the route and prepare for the operation.
After investigators received information indicating that the mother and daughter were traveling toward Argentina, Israel Police dispatched its South America liaison, Walter Kogan, to assist in the search. Authorities located the bus carrying the pair shortly before they were scheduled to continue to another destination elsewhere in South America. The identity of that destination remains under a court-ordered gag order.
During questioning, Mali and Liel told investigators that they had left Israel for personal reasons but declined to provide additional details about what prompted their decision.
Police emphasized that the international search operation was conducted exclusively through cooperation between law enforcement agencies and did not involve any other Israeli security organizations.
An official familiar with the investigation said the time it took to locate the pair was the result of a deliberate operational strategy rather than any investigative failure.
“We followed them throughout the entire journey and waited for the right moment to complete the operation without exposing the parties who assisted us in Europe,” the source explained. “There was no concern for their lives – we waited for the appropriate time to close the circle.”
wasting the time of police who could have been chasing after yeshiva bochurim!