Suspect in Kidnapping of 10-Year-Old Boy Identified as Yigal Buskila

A court in Petah Tikva has permitted the publication of the name and photograph of Yigal Buskila, a Jerusalem resident in his early 20s, who is suspected of kidnapping 10-year-old Yahli Sofer from Petah Tikva. The police requested the publication to help locate additional potential victims, citing suspicions of harm to other minors. Buskila's attorney sought to delay the publication for an appeal, but it was not filed.

The incident began when Yahli left his home in the Kfar Ganim neighborhood to play in a local park and did not return. Police initiated extensive searches, utilizing technological resources, with local residents also joining the effort. According to Yahli's mother, Shiran Shabtai Sofer, the suspect approached children in the park demanding money. While other children fled, Yahli remained. The mother stated the suspect bought Yahli pizza, gave him a gold chain, encouraged him to smoke, and took him on a scooter to Bnei Brak, intending to use him for begging.

Yahli was found around 1:00 AM in Bnei Brak after a citizen reported suspicious activity based on social media alerts. Both Yahli and Buskila were brought to the Petah Tikva police station, where Buskila was arrested. He initially claimed he found the boy lost and was escorting him home, a claim contradicted by security camera footage showing him taking Yahli from the playground near the boy's home.

Buskila's detention has been extended multiple times, with the court finding reasonable suspicion and grounds for his arrest due to dangerousness. Investigators are exploring suspicions of harm to the child beyond the kidnapping itself, though a child investigator paused Yahli's testimony due to his difficulty recalling details. Police are investigating potential harm to other minors in different locations. Buskila's defense attorney argued he has complex cognitive and mental issues, including a developmental delay, and cannot function independently.