Two Friends Suspected of Murder in Disappearance Case of Eldar Dayan in Central Israel

A dramatic development occurred in the disappearance case of Eldar Dayan, a 23-year-old from Dimona who vanished about two weeks ago. The Petah Tikva Magistrate's Court extended the detention of two of Dayan's friends by seven days after police added serious murder suspicions against them. This decision followed the discovery of a severely decomposed body near the Yarkon interchange close to Petah Tikva during extensive search operations.

The body was transferred to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute for official identification and investigation into the cause of death. Dayan's grieving mother arrived at the scene and emotionally confronted police, demanding to be taken to her son and refusing to allow the body to be moved without her consent. The family harshly criticized the police for poor communication and insensitivity, stating they were not informed about the discovery and felt ignored throughout the investigation.

Currently, the identity of the body remains a suspicion rather than a confirmed fact. Police requested additional detention days to deepen the investigation, while the two suspects have remained silent and recently switched from public defenders to private legal representation. The suspects were involved with Dayan in a violent altercation and drug use on July 18 near Hod Hasharon, which escalated into a physical fight with another group. During the incident, one suspect allegedly threatened Dayan, saying "we will kill you," before fleeing and abandoning Dayan's car.

The investigation was recently transferred to the Central District police after the Southern District exhausted search leads. Authorities are examining whether the threats during the fight are directly connected to Dayan's disappearance. Earlier reports of a phone call between Dayan and his father have not been officially confirmed by investigators.