Israeli Man Arrested for Posing as Teen to Sexually Harass Girls in WhatsApp Group

Israeli police arrested a 46-year-old man from the city of Nesher on Wednesday morning, suspected of sexually harassing over ten underage girls by infiltrating a WhatsApp group. The man allegedly posed as a 15-year-old boy to join a group dedicated to the popular "Squishies" toy trend, which included dozens of girls aged 8 to 11. The investigation began after a mother discovered explicit sexual conversations on her 10-year-old daughter's phone with someone claiming to be a teenager.

Cybercrime investigators from the Northern District uncovered that the suspect privately messaged several girls in the group, engaging in sexual conversations and exchanging explicit content and images. Following the transition of the investigation to an open status, police raided the suspect's home in Nesher and took him into custody. Authorities plan to request an extension of his detention at the Tiberias Magistrate's Court.

Northern District Cybercrime Unit head, Chief Inspector Rachel Benjamin, emphasized the suspect's systematic targeting of very young minors, fully aware of their ages. She urged parents and educators to remain vigilant, especially during summer months when children may be unsupervised online, advising them to talk with their children about avoiding contact with strangers and reporting any sexual advances immediately.