Israeli Court Imposes Gag Order on Investigation into Missing Mother and Daughter in Vienna

The Magistrate's Court in Rishon Lezion approved a gag order requested by the National Economic Crime Unit of Lahav 433 regarding the investigation into the disappearance of Mally Yahalomi, 50, and her daughter Liel, 23, in Vienna. The order prohibits publishing any details of the investigation until September 13, with police warning that any disclosure constitutes a criminal offense.

The case was transferred to Lahav 433 on Thursday, and a special investigative team has been coordinating with Austrian police. Initial Israeli police findings suggest the women may have left their apartment voluntarily, with no signs of abduction. Investigators are examining indications that location data was deleted from their mobile phones days before their disappearance and that they might have taken a significant amount of cash.

A report from Austria's Kronen Zeitung, citing Vienna police, stated there is currently no indication of criminal activity in the case. The family issued a statement criticizing recent police briefings that implied conclusions about the circumstances of the disappearance had been reached. They emphasized that some information presented to the public was not shared with them and that they possess contradictory data, including official information from Israeli police.

The family also clarified that no unusual activity was detected in the women's bank accounts, with the last transaction on August 3. They requested that if the police have evidence supporting their claims, it be presented and examined alongside the family's information. The family strongly rejected dismissing the possibility of a nationalistically motivated terrorist incident at this stage.

Mally and Liel Yahalomi lost contact with their family on the evening of Friday, August 7, after maintaining regular communication and sharing photos during their trip. The family demands that Israeli and Austrian authorities continue to investigate all scenarios thoroughly and with full resources, opposing premature conclusions about voluntary disappearance before completing the inquiry.