Criminal9/14/2026

Court Demands Prosecution Decision in the Abduction Case of 10-Year-Old Yaeli

The Petah Tikva Magistrate’s Court extended for the fifth time the detention of Yigal Buskila, 19, who is suspected of abducting 10-year-old Yaeli Sofer. The court kept him in detention for three additional days and required that, by the next hearing, a prosecutor’s declaration or an indictment accompanied by a request for detention until the end of proceedings be filed.

Key facts

•Suspect: Yigal Buskila, 19
•Child: Yaeli Sofer, 10
•Court: Petah Tikva Magistrate’s Court
•Detention extended by three days, until Wednesday
•This is the fifth detention extension
•The case number and hearing date were not specified in the source

What the Police Said

According to the police account, Buskila stayed with the child in a shelter and did not allow him to leave. The police representative told the court that the child cried, asked to be released, and tried to leave the shelter. According to the officer, the suspect does not deny what happened.

How the Investigation Is Progressing

Following the previous hearing, Buskila was questioned once again. Two prosecutors reviewed the investigative materials and instructed the police to carry out additional investigative actions both regarding the incident involving Yaeli and regarding other cases under examination. The investigation includes three incidents, among them suspicions of additional attempted abductions, but no new complaints were received after Buskila’s name and photograph were published.

Why the Court Did Not Order House Arrest

Attorney Noam Gutman of the Public Defender’s Office asked that Buskila be transferred to house arrest, taking into account, among other things, his mental condition. The suspect’s mother offered to supervise her son, but said that he has not lived at home for a long time and visits once every few weeks. Judge Oren Boaz questioned the effectiveness of such supervision and, at this stage, refused to release the suspect.

What the Court Ruled

The police requested that Buskila remain in detention until Friday, but the court granted the request only in part and extended the detention until Wednesday. The judge noted that one of the remaining investigative actions could not be obstructed, but believed that release was premature. By the next hearing, the investigative team must significantly advance the case and file a prosecutor’s declaration or an indictment accompanied by a request for detention until the end of proceedings.

What this means for you

The extension of detention does not indicate that the suspect has been found guilty: according to the source, no indictment had been filed at the time of the hearing. The decision shows that, at the next hearing, the court expects the prosecution to present a clear position—proceeding with an indictment and a request for detention until the end of proceedings, or making another decision regarding the continuation of the suspect’s status.

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Case analysis based on court rulings