Criminal9/7/2026

Detention of Suspect in Kidnapping of 10-Year-Old Yali Extended Until Thursday

The Petah Tikva Magistrate’s Court extended by four more days the detention of a 20-year-old Jerusalem resident suspected of kidnapping 10-year-old Yali Sofer. Police are also examining information about possible assaults by the suspect against additional minors in various parts of Israel.

Key facts

•Court: Petah Tikva Magistrate’s Court
•Suspect: 20-year-old Jerusalem resident
•Victim: 10-year-old Yali Sofer
•Detention extended by four more days—until Thursday
•Judge: Gil Gabai
•The case number and exact date of the hearing were not specified in the source

The Child’s Disappearance and the Search for Him

Yali Sofer was considered missing from Sunday until the early morning hours of Monday, when he was located in Bnei Brak with a 20-year-old man whom he did not know. Their location was determined using the suspect’s phone, and a citizen who had seen reports of the child’s disappearance also contacted the police.

The Parties’ Accounts

According to Yali’s mother, the man asked the children to give him money and then persuaded her son to help collect donations and travel with him by bus to Bnei Brak. The child said that he had gone far from his home and was afraid. The suspect told police that he had not kidnapped the child: according to his account, the child said he was lost, and he tried to accompany him home.

Why the Court Kept the Suspect in Detention

Attorney Frida Wall stated that her client has an intellectual disability and requested that he be released to an alternative form of detention or that the detention period be shortened. Judge Gil Gabai denied the request, found that there was reasonable suspicion, and extended the detention until Thursday.

Examination of Additional Cases

The police representative told the court that investigators had received information concerning minors—boys and girls—from various parts of the country. Police are examining whether the suspect also assaulted other children. The source does not report that an indictment has been filed or that a final conclusion has been reached regarding these cases.

What this means for you

An extension of detention does not mean that the person has been found guilty: at this stage, the court decided only that there is reasonable suspicion and that the investigation should continue while the suspect remains in detention. For families in a similar situation, this also means that police may examine a possible connection between the detainee and additional cases, but each such case requires a separate investigation and verification.

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Case analysis based on court rulings