"I Will Enter This Personally": Netanyahu Vows to Solve Israel's Most Haunting Child Mystery

In a poignant and high stakes meeting at the Knesset, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood before the family of Haimnot Kassau, a young girl whose disappearance in early 2024 remains one of Israel's most haunting unsolved mysteries. Haimnot, who was nine years old when she was last seen, vanished from an absorption center in Safed while handing out municipal election flyers. On Monday evening, joined by MK Tsega Melaku, the Prime Minister offered a rare and solemn commitment to the family. "I will enter this personally," Netanyahu told the grieving relatives, promising that the full weight of his office would be used to find answers. "We will bring her back," he added, a statement that has reignited hope for a case that many feared had gone cold.

Haimnot’s story began on February 25, 2024, when she left her home at the Jewish Agency absorption center with friends. She was seen on security footage smiling and running through the halls with flyers in her hand, but she never returned. Despite massive search efforts involving 1,800 volunteers, police dogs, and helicopters, no trace of the child was ever found. The case has been marked by a lack of forensic evidence and a series of leads that eventually led to dead ends. Recently, the investigation was escalated to Lahav 433, the nation’s elite major crimes unit, signaling that authorities believe there are still unexplored avenues or potential criminal breakthroughs that require specialized expertise.

The case has been complicated by a sweeping court gag order, which has restricted the media from reporting on the specific details of the ongoing probe. However, it was recently revealed that a 63 year old resident of Beersheba, who had been a primary person of interest after an unrelated attempted kidnapping in the south, is no longer a central suspect in Haimnot’s disappearance. This development has returned the investigation to square one, leaving the Kassau family in a state of agonizing uncertainty. The family has long advocated for the involvement of the Shin Bet, arguing that the circumstances suggest a sophisticated abduction rather than a simple missing person case.

As the search enters its second year, the Prime Minister’s personal intervention marks a significant shift in the government’s approach. For a family that immigrated to Israel from Ethiopia only five years ago, the promise from the head of state represents a powerful validation of their struggle. While the war and regional tensions have often dominated the national agenda, the plight of Haimnot Kassau continues to serve as a reminder of the vulnerabilities within the home front. Netanyahu’s vow to the family at the Knesset signifies that even as the country faces external threats, the safety and return of its most vulnerable citizens remains a sacred mission for the leadership.