Austrian Police Confirm Mally and Liel Yehalomi Left Country Voluntarily Amid Search

After a week of searching for Mally and Liel Yehalomi, Austrian police announced on Friday that investigations indicate the mother and daughter left Austria voluntarily and independently. Austrian media, citing Interpol sources, reported that the two fled to South America. Israeli police expressed optimism about the search and believe both are alive. Following these developments, senior police officials held discussions on how to proceed.

For a week, Israeli police had no leads regarding the disappearance, exploring all possibilities from accidents to criminal suspicions and voluntary disappearance. Reports from Austria yesterday confirmed the two were no longer in the country, complicating the search. The investigation is led by the National Unit for Combating Economic Crime (Lahav 433), which collected testimonies from the Yehalomis' acquaintances and from Bank of Jerusalem employees, where Mally works. Authorities found no indication of criminal activity related to their disappearance.

The police imposed a gag order on the investigation yesterday. The Yehalomi family criticized police briefings that suggested conclusions had already been drawn about the circumstances of the disappearance. Rumors linking Mally’s employment at Bank of Jerusalem to financial misconduct caused a sharp drop in the bank’s stock. The bank clarified that an internal review found no irregularities in its funds or assets and emphasized that the disappearance is unrelated to the bank.

The family launched a crowdfunding campaign to finance search efforts, highlighting that Mally and Liel are experienced travelers who usually maintain contact with family. They have reported the disappearance to the Israeli Foreign Ministry and local police and are coordinating with the Israeli consulate in Vienna. The family called for public support to expand search resources, including local professional assistance, travel, translation, and emergency expenses. The Israeli embassy in Austria urged anyone who encounters Mally and Liel to have them contact their family immediately or call the embassy’s emergency number.