Jerusalem, 7 October, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israeli mother Mali Yahalomi and her daughter Liel, whose disappearance in Austria started an international search in August, have resurfaced in a Namibian jail.
The two were arrested in Namibia after allegedly attempting to enter the African country using forged passports, according to reports.
The pair disappeared during a trip to Europe and were eventually located alive in Argentina after an extensive search. At the time, they told Israeli police they had left voluntarily, and investigators found no evidence of a crime or danger.
A police source involved in the investigation said the two had carefully planned their departure from Israel. “They withdrew NIS 50,000 ($16,378) in Israel before flying to Prague, and purchased new phones before flying to > 🇮🇱🇦🇷”>Argentina.”
Authorities are now seeking to determine why the women later obtained forged travel documents and how they reached Namibia.