Israeli Mother and Daughter Found in Argentina After Disappearance Across Continents

Mali and Liel Yahalomi, a mother and daughter duo, were located in South America after disappearing from Vienna, Austria last Friday. Israeli police revealed that early messages between Liel and her mother Mali indicated that Liel was aware of and willingly joined her mother's plan to vanish. A senior police official stated, "Mali simply wanted to disappear from the world." Initial investigations suggested the disappearance was premeditated, with the pair preparing before leaving Israel.

Authorities initially explored possibilities including threats, extortion, or terrorist involvement, but as the investigation progressed, the focus shifted to financial debts as the likely motive. Before leaving Israel, the women acquired a large sum of money and traveled to the Czech Republic, where they purchased a new mobile phone without presenting identification, signaling an intent to sever their digital trail. They then moved to Vienna, disabling location services on their previous phones and activating the new device.

Using advanced technological tools, Israeli police tracked the new phone and eventually found the women on a bus heading to Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is believed Buenos Aires was not necessarily their final destination. After a brief police interview confirming their well-being, Mali and Liel were released. The search was a collaborative effort led by Israel's Lahav 433, the police intelligence division, Europol, and international law enforcement agencies.

The Yahalomi family expressed immense relief at their safe recovery and thanked the Israeli public, police, the Vienna consulate, and rescue friends. They also assured that all funds raised by the public would be returned. The police confirmed that the disappearance was likely due to debts owed by the mother and daughter.