Several days after contact was lost with Israeli mother and daughter Mally and Liel Yehalomi in Vienna, Israeli officials handling the case now believe the disappearance is likely unrelated to terrorism or a nationalist attack. Austrian police have similarly stated that at this stage, "there is no suspicion of a criminal event."
Despite this assessment, the search and investigation continue, with all possibilities still under examination. Austrian authorities have elevated the case to senior levels of the Vienna police force, while in Israel, Police Commissioner Danny Levy has transferred oversight to Lahav 433, the national investigative unit.
One avenue being explored is the possibility that Mali and Liel left their location voluntarily. Investigators are examining information about money in their possession, as well as indications that location tracking on their mobile phones was disabled.
Separately, intelligence checks have been conducted to determine whether Iranian or pro-Palestinian elements might be behind the disappearance. According to current assessments, these checks have not yielded findings supporting such a scenario. Efforts are focused on attempting to trace their location through cellular data, and area hospitals have been checked to ensure the two were not admitted as unidentified patients.
An Israeli police representative is on the ground in Vienna, and Israel's Foreign Ministry has established a situation room coordinating information and activity with local authorities.
Family Disputes Ruling Out Nationalist Attack
Mali and Liel's family has criticized reports suggesting the security-related possibility is being ruled out. They claim to possess information that differs from what has already been reported.
"We want to make absolutely clear that at this stage there is no basis for ruling out the possibility of a hostile terrorist incident with a nationalist motive," the family stated.
