JERUSALEM (VINnews) — New details are emerging about the mysterious disappearance of Mali Yahalomi and her 23-year-old daughter, Liel, who were found safe in Argentina after disappearing during a trip to Europe.

The two women were located Aug. 14 aboard a long-distance bus in Argentina, about a week after their family lost contact with them in Vienna. Israeli and international authorities had launched a major search spanning several countries.

Police said the women had left voluntarily and that there was no indication they had been kidnapped or were victims of a crime. They were questioned after being located and released.

Now, new reporting is offering a possible explanation for why the mother and daughter apparently decided to abandon their lives in Israel without telling their family.

According to a Channel 12 report cited by Israel National News, Mali had accumulated more than 200,000 shekels in debt over an extended period. Despite efforts to improve her financial situation, including completing a master’s degree and receiving a promotion at work, the debts reportedly continued to grow.
The report said the financial pressure may have been one of the main factors behind the decision to leave Israel.

But the financial explanation remains disputed. Earlier in the investigation, an Israel Police spokesman said authorities did not yet know why the women disappeared and said that, based on information available at the time, only small financial debts had been identified.

The apparent secrecy of the departure has added to the mystery.

Just days before disappearing, Mali attended a surprise party for her 50th birthday. Family members and close friends reportedly noticed nothing unusual and had no idea that she and Liel were preparing to leave Israel.

Their rented apartment in Modi’in was also left largely intact. Furniture and personal belongings remained inside, with no indication to relatives that the women were preparing for a permanent move.

Mali’s son, a married yeshiva student living in Israel with his young son, was reportedly unaware of the plan. He later helped relatives by providing passwords to a computer and iPad that had been left behind.

The women had initially traveled to Europe as part of what the family understood to be a birthday trip. They went to Prague and then Vienna, where they remained in contact with relatives and shared updates about their travels.

That changed abruptly.

The family eventually realized that the two had stopped communicating and had failed to follow through on plans. Their disappearance triggered an international investigation involving Israeli police, Austrian authorities and international law enforcement.

Police later determined that the women had continued traveling rather than remaining in Vienna. Investigators traced their movements through Europe and eventually to South America.

Authorities have also said the disappearance appeared to have been deliberately planned.

Reports said the women purchased new phones and took steps to make themselves harder to trace. Police reportedly issued a gag order during the investigation in part because they feared that publicizing what investigators knew could cause the women to change their route and make themselves even more difficult to locate.

At one point, investigators reportedly discovered communications indicating that the departure had been planned in advance, although details about the extent of that planning have varied among reports.

When Israeli and Argentine authorities finally located the women, they were traveling on a bus. An Israeli police representative approached them and confirmed that they were safe.

Liel later called family members who had gathered at her grandmother’s home. During the emotional late-night call, made with the assistance of a local police representative, she could be heard crying and told relatives that she and her mother were safe and had left voluntarily. She reportedly apologized for the worry caused by their disappearance and promised to provide further updates.

The family had initially feared the worst.

During the search, speculation ranged from kidnapping and terrorism to other criminal explanations. At one point, rumors surrounding Mali’s employment at the Bank of Jerusalem even caused the bank’s stock to fluctuate sharply, although those claims were not substantiated.

The family’s concern was heightened because Mali and Liel had apparently cut off communication while traveling abroad and had not told relatives where they were going.

After they were found, however, authorities said there was no evidence of a crime.

Another detail that surprised relatives was Mali’s appearance after the women were located. Family members reportedly noticed that she was no longer wearing a head covering, a striking change for someone who had become religious about 20 years earlier. Some relatives viewed the change as another indication that the mother and daughter were attempting to leave their previous lives behind and begin again.

The family has since been left to deal with the practical consequences of the sudden departure, including the apartment, leased vehicles and a dog left behind in Israel. Relatives have also been helping care for Mali’s son and grandson.

Despite the new information, the central question remains unanswered: Why did Mali and Liel decide to disappear?

Financial problems may have played a role, according to the latest report, but police have not publicly confirmed that debt was the reason. Other reports have described the disappearance as a carefully planned attempt to start a new life, while police have said they still do not know the precise motive.

What is clear is that the women appear to have deliberately severed contact with their previous lives, traveled thousands of miles and avoided telling even close family members where they were going.

For now, Israeli police continue to characterize the case as a voluntary disappearance rather than a kidnapping or other criminal incident.