Police in Israel have imposed a gag order on details surrounding the disappearance of Israeli mother and daughter Mali and Liel Yahalomi in Vienna, Austria. The order, granted by a judge following a request from YALACH, the National Economic Crimes Unit within the Lahav 433 National Crimes Unit, prohibits the publication of any information about the ongoing investigation. The two women went missing on Friday and failed to board their scheduled return flight from Prague on Tuesday night. As of Wednesday, Austrian police, the Israeli Embassy, and the city’s Chabad community have yet to uncover any leads in the case. The Yahalomis, who were staying in a vacation apartment in Vienna, were last seen on Friday. Their absence became apparent when they did not arrive for their return flight, which was set for 9:45 p.m. on Tuesday. Austrian police reviewed video footage and other evidence showing the pair leaving their hotel room unaccompanied. Later, their phones were discovered near a Vienna train station, but their trail has since gone cold, prompting concerns that they may have been abducted. Family members, including the missing woman’s son and daughter, her brother, and others, confirmed they had last spoken with their mother and sister on Friday. Initial investigations into the disappearance have ruled out allegations that the mother, a senior employee at the Bank of Jerusalem, was involved in an embezzlement scheme. Despite these findings, the Bank of Jerusalem’s share price dropped by as much as 12.4% during Thursday trading on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, before partially recovering. The bank’s CEO, Yair Kaplan, addressed employees in a letter stating that while the mother was an employee, no connection between the incident and the bank had been established. He also reiterated that the investigation is under a gag order and that information about it must not be shared publicly. Family members, including Mali Yahalomi’s brother-in-law Amir Rudnik, have provided additional context about the disappearance. Rudnik noted that the two women had been on a regular mother-daughter trip and described them as coming from a “normal, close-knit family.” He mentioned that the family maintains a WhatsApp group where members regularly exchange updates and photos. According to Rudnik, the women arrived in Vienna from Prague by train and stayed at an apartment hotel between Friday and Saturday. Their Google account showed their phone was last seen in the area of a Vienna train station, though no further trace of them has emerged. The Israeli Embassy in Vienna released an infographic seeking assistance in locating the two Israelis, emphasizing that their disappearance is not linked to anti-Israel sentiment. Markus Dittrich, a spokesperson for Vienna police, stated that there is “currently no indication of foul play.” However, the family has expressed concern that recent reports suggesting the disappearance was not a criminal act have led the public to prematurely conclude the circumstances. In a statement, the family urged against ruling out the possibility of a terrorist incident, noting that recent publications citing police sources have created an impression that a conclusion has already been reached. As the investigation continues, both Israeli and Austrian authorities are working to determine the fate of the missing women. The family remains hopeful that the women are safe and in hiding, though the lack of definitive information has left many questions unanswered. The situation underscores the complexity of cross-border disappearances and the challenges faced by law enforcement in such cases. For now, the focus remains on gathering more information and ensuring that any developments are communicated responsibly under the imposed gag order.
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