Israeli police have released new details in the investigation into the murder of a young boy in the central Israeli city of Beit Shemesh. According to investigators from the Jerusalem District's Central Unit, the suspect, 26-year-old Liel Ifargan, allegedly came to the area around the victims' home several hours before the attack took place.
During that initial visit, he had a brief conversation with the homeowner before returning to his own residence nearby. Hours later, police believe, he came back to the property, where he encountered the children and stabbed them, leading to the death of seven-year-old Hillel Mordechai Dadon.
"We arrived at a very difficult scene, where a young child lost his life while playing in a pool," said Chief Inspector Gaya Avrahami, deputy head of the interrogation unit at the Jerusalem District Investigation Department. "At this stage, we are focusing our investigative efforts on understanding exactly what the suspect's motive was."
A Jerusalem Magistrate's Court extended Ifargan's detention until August 25, 2026. He was arrested shortly after the incident by officers from the Beit Shemesh police station and transferred for questioning at the Jerusalem District Investigation Department.
