Israeli Police Chief Holds Special Briefing on Missing Israeli Women in Vienna

Israeli Police Commissioner Major General Danni Levi convened a special situation assessment on Wednesday regarding the ongoing search for Israeli women Mali and Liel Yahalomi, who have been missing since last Friday in Vienna, Austria. The briefing included senior officials from the Investigations and Intelligence Division, representatives from Israel Police abroad, and members of the police intelligence command post operating outside Israel. Commissioner Levi received a comprehensive update on investigative and intelligence efforts both domestically and internationally. He instructed that all necessary resources be allocated to advance the investigation and intensified cooperation with relevant agencies until the women are found.

Earlier, Vienna police informed Israeli news outlet C14 that there is currently no indication of third-party involvement in the disappearance of Mali, aged 50, and her daughter Liel, aged 23. Cell phone location data traced the women in Vienna on Saturday, but since then, their whereabouts remain unknown. Contrary to earlier reports, the women did not order a Shabbat meal at the local Chabad house, nor did they visit synagogues or kosher restaurants in the city.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry and the consulate in Vienna declared the women missing since Friday and noted their last known location near the Naschmarkt central market in Vienna. The Israeli embassy and Foreign Ministry have appealed to the public for any information that could assist in locating them and are coordinating with local law enforcement. Senior members of Vienna's Jewish community have stated there is no evidence suggesting the women were targeted due to their Israeli or Jewish identity.