Police Arrest Five Suspects in Eldar Dayan Murder Case in Petah Tikva

Israeli police have arrested five additional suspects in connection with the murder of 23-year-old Eldar Dayan from Dimona. Authorities say the suspects were involved in a fight preceding Dayan's death, during which they allegedly kicked him in the head, causing a fatal head injury. The police are seeking to extend their detention by eight days.

The altercation took place at Nahal HaYarkon in Petah Tikva, where Dayan and his friends had arranged to meet a group of five others. After two suspects were arrested on Monday, two more were detained on Tuesday, and during a remand hearing, the fifth suspect, who had been on the run, was also apprehended. During the confrontation, Dayan and his friends fled in their car, reportedly hitting one of the other group members, who sustained minor injuries.

Four of the newly arrested suspects had previously been questioned regarding the fight but were not linked to Dayan's murder until now. Earlier in the investigation, two of Dayan's friends, Omri Peretz and Maxim Barberman, were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the murder. Their testimonies about the events differed, with one claiming they were attacked by unknown assailants and the other denying this.

Dayan's disappearance on July 16, after going out with friends, sparked a nationwide investigation. Hours after his last contact with his sister and girlfriend, he vanished. A month later, his abandoned car with a broken windshield and bloodstains was found in Petah Tikva. Exactly three weeks after his final communication, his body was discovered about 200 meters from the abandoned vehicle. The case remains under active investigation as police continue to piece together the events leading to Dayan's death.