Vienna police: Missing Israeli mother and daughter left country of their own volition

Vienna's police department said Friday that an Israeli mother and daughter who disappeared in the Austrian capital a week ago had left the country of their own volition, and that there was "no indication of a violent crime."

In a statement, police said that following "excellent cooperation" between Austrian law enforcement and Israeli authorities, "it has been determined that the two Israeli citizens –- mother and daughter –- who had been missing since August 7, 2026, left the Republic of Austria on their own. According to current findings, there is no indication of a violent crime."

Israeli police officials on Friday expressed cautious optimism regarding the investigation into the vanishing of Mali Yahalomi, 50, and her daughter Liel, 23.

Channel 13 cited an unnamed police source as saying there was "optimism regarding the search" for the two, while Kan news said police had received "a positive indication" about the two.

Meanwhile Israeli officials involved in the investigation told multiple media outlets that it seemed less and less likely that the pair's vanishing had to do with their nationality or their health. It was widely reported Friday that security camera footage obtained by local law enforcement showed the two leaving their place of accommodation on August 8 with the belongings, apparently of their own volition and without anyone else.

A source told Channel 12 that authorities believe the two are still alive. The network also reported that Austrian officials believe they are no longer in the country.

While Israeli police have placed a gag order on the case, Hebrew media has continued reporting on it extensively.

In a public appeal on Friday, Mali's siblings Moshe and Elinor said: "We want to thank all the people of Israel for the embrace and the support in this difficult time.

"We demand of all security and investigative officials to continue to check all scenarios, including the possibility of terrorism, until they are ruled out on the basis of evidence."

Mali and Liel Yahalomi arrived in Vienna from Prague by train last week. Because the family does not use electronic devices on Shabbat, their relatives did not suspect anything was wrong until Sunday morning, when their text messages to the mother and daughter did not go through.

According to reports, the two did not keep their Friday night Shabbat dinner plans or pick up the food they had ordered from a kosher restaurant for Saturday.

Earlier this week, Israel’s embassy in Austria requested that anyone with information on their whereabouts call +43 6763672304 or contact the local police, as investigations were launched into their disappearance in both Austria and Israel.

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