Israel Privacy Authority Demands Police Probe into Leak of Missing Girls' Details
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
Israel's Privacy Protection Authority has asked the Israel Police to investigate alleged privacy breaches concerning Mally and Lial Yihieli, two girls found in Argentina on August 14, 2026. The authority cited media reports of sensitive videos and personal details, including financial information and travel plans, allegedly leaked from police sources. Director Gilad Samama stated these publications harmed the sisters' privacy without justification and may violate police procedures. The police are required to investigate the leak and implement lessons learned to protect privacy in future cases.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israel's Privacy Protection Authority is investigating the police over alleged leaks of missing girls' private information.
- Sensitive videos and personal details of Mally and Lial Yihieli were reportedly published after their August 14, 2026, discovery in Argentina.
- The authority believes some leaked information originated from within the Israel Police.
- Director Gilad Samama stated the publications harmed the girls' privacy without legitimate justification.
- The police are tasked with investigating how the information reached the media and drawing lessons learned.
Israel's Privacy Protection Authority has formally requested the Israel Police investigate alleged privacy violations concerning Mally and Lial Yihieli, two girls who had been missing and were located in Argentina on August 14, 2026. The authority's director, Gilad Samama, sent a letter to Police Commissioner Daniel Levi and the force's internal privacy supervisor, George Kiverkian, demanding a review of media reports that may have compromised the sisters' privacy.
The directive follows extensive media coverage after the girls were found. Reports included sensitive videos of them being located on a bus and during police questioning. Additionally, personal details from the investigation, such as private messages, AI search queries, financial information, and their travel plans, were reportedly exposed. The authority believes that at least some of this information originated from within the Israel Police.
Samama instructed the internal police privacy supervisor to use his authority under the Privacy Protection Law to thoroughly investigate how these videos and personal details reached the media, allegedly in violation of police procedures. The investigation is also tasked with examining the considerations that led the police to permit the dissemination of this information, if any. The authority expects the police to draw systemic conclusions and lessons regarding privacy protection when sharing information with the media in similar cases.
Samama stated that while the public's need to know about the safety of missing persons is understood, the publication of vulnerable moments and personal details after they have been located is problematic. He emphasized that these publications, seemingly originating from the police investigation, caused significant harm to the sisters' privacy without legitimate justification and appear to contravene police regulations. The Israel Police must conduct a deep investigation into how the information leaked and learn the necessary lessons to ensure citizens' fundamental right to privacy is not compromised in such incidents.
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