Criminal8/29/2026

Soldier Suspected of Extorting Two Minors Using Intimate Images

The Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court extended by four days the detention of a soldier, about 20 years old, from Bat Yam. He is suspected of posing as a 16-year-old boy, obtaining revealing images of girls aged 14 and 15, and subsequently threatening them while demanding additional materials.

Key facts

•Court: Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court
•Suspect: a soldier from Bat Yam, about 20 years old
•Victims: two girls aged 14 and 15
•The detention was extended by four days
•The case number and exact date of the decision were not specified in the source
•No sums or names of applicable statutes were specified

Nature of the Suspicion

According to police, the suspect met the girls on the TikTok social media platform, after which their correspondence continued on WhatsApp. He allegedly threatened to throw a grenade at their homes and to murder the girls and their family members. The investigation was opened following the receipt of two complaints.

What the Suspect Said

According to the report, the soldier initially denied the acts attributed to him but later confessed. During his interrogation, he explained that he had presented himself as a 16-year-old because otherwise the girls would not have spoken with him, and he also admitted to making the threats attributed to him. This describes the position arising from the investigation and is not a determination of his guilt.

The Defense's Position

Attorney Dotan Danieli of the Public Defender's Office said that the young man is coping with significant difficulties and criticized the conduct of a standard interrogation during which a confession was obtained. He also questioned the risk of obstruction of the investigation because police had already searched the suspect's home and examined his devices and computers.

Why the Court Kept Him in Detention

Judge Tzipora Giloni ruled that the materials collected establish reasonable suspicion at the level required at this stage of the proceedings. The court relied on the suspect's interrogation, testimony, and additional documents, and also ruled that there were grounds of dangerousness and a risk of obstruction of certain investigative actions. The police request was granted only in part: the detention was extended by four days, and the suspect must undergo a psychiatric examination at the detention facility before the next hearing.

What this means for you

The extension of detention means only that the investigation will continue and does not constitute a determination that a person is guilty. When deciding the question of detention, the court examines whether there is reasonable suspicion, whether there is potential dangerousness, and whether there is a risk of obstruction of investigative actions. The source does not state what the final outcome of the case will be or whether an indictment has been filed.

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Case analysis based on court rulings