Israeli Mother and Daughter Found on Bus in Buenos Aires After Disappearance in Europe

Mali and Liel Yehalami, a mother and daughter from Modiin, Israel, who disappeared last week during a trip in Europe, were located on a bus in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The discovery followed an international manhunt involving Israeli police intelligence units in Prague, Vienna, Frankfurt, and Mexico, alongside Europol and local police forces. Upon their arrival in Buenos Aires, local authorities stopped the bus they were traveling on, and Walter Kogan, an Israeli police intelligence representative in South America, boarded the bus to question them.

During a brief interrogation, the two women, visibly shocked to meet a Hebrew-speaking officer so far from home, explained that they left Israel voluntarily and wished to disconnect from their previous life. However, the Israeli police expressed doubts about the full truth behind their disappearance, as the women did not provide clear motives. Legal restrictions in Argentina prevented a deeper investigation, with local police stating that Israeli authorities lacked jurisdiction to conduct a thorough inquiry.

The case began when Mali and Liel missed their scheduled return flight from Prague to Israel and cut off all contact. The family in Israel, concerned for their safety, contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Modiin police station. The Israeli consulate in Vienna unusually released their photos to the public to aid in locating them. Prior to leaving Israel, Mali withdrew approximately 14,000 euros in cash, and upon arriving in Prague, they purchased new mobile phones, sent a brief video message to their family from Vienna, and then disabled their old phones to erase their tracks.

Since the women are adults and not wanted for any criminal activity, and they confirmed their departure was voluntary, the Israeli police representative allowed them to continue their journey after the brief questioning. A senior police official noted that despite cooperation, the women likely did not reveal the entire story behind their disappearance.