Lapid urges Netanyahu to renew probe into Haymanot Kasau disappearance

Lead

Opposition leader Yair Lapid has called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to order a renewed investigation into the disappearance of Haymanut Kasau, a young girl who has been missing since February 2024. In a letter to the prime minister, Lapid urged the government to concentrate and deploy every resource necessary to re-examine the case, as reported by the Jerusalem Post.

Coverage Comparison

The Jerusalem Post, the sole outlet whose coverage informs this article, has reported on the case from multiple angles over recent days. In one report, dated July 26, it described how dozens of protesters entered the Ayalon Highway near Tel Aviv's Azrieli Center, blocking traffic to demand an expanded investigation. In another, dated July 28, it detailed Lapid's formal appeal to Netanyahu. A third piece offered a reflective account of the case, marking 874 days since the disappearance and recalling details of the girl's life.

Key Claims

• Duration of disappearance: Haymanut Kasau has been missing for 874 days as of July 2026, according to the Jerusalem Post. She disappeared in Safed on February 25, 2024, at the age of nine.
• Police and family views: The police officially classify Haymanut as a missing child, but the family believes she was abducted. Her father, Tesfaye Kasau, has said she was "abducted" and has called for the case to be handled without political considerations. In a statement reported by the Jerusalem Post, he said: "My daughter was nine years old when she was abducted 884 days ago. She doesn't care about political affiliation."
• Investigation status: The investigation was transferred to Lahav 433, the National Crime Unit, according to activist Racheli Abata, a relative of Haymanut. She said the family has received no response since the transfer and believes the police have failed. She also said the family believes 14 minutes of recording were deleted from the evidence.
• Demands for Shin Bet involvement: Protesters, relatives, and activists have demanded that the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) take over the case. Abata said Shin Bet involvement would make an "enormous difference" and contrasted the case with that of a boy who went missing in Ashkelon, where the Shin Bet joined the investigation within a day.
• Lapid's appeal: In his letter to Netanyahu, Lapid wrote: "I call on the government to immediately instruct all relevant authorities to concentrate and deploy every resource necessary to re-examine every possible investigative direction, and to update both the family and the public on the steps being taken to locate Haymanut."
• Reward: A reward of NIS 1 million has been offered for information leading to Haymanut's return, the Jerusalem Post reported.
• Previous government commitment: Netanyahu said in January 2026 that he would personally involve himself in the case, meeting with Haymanut's family at the time. The Jerusalem Post reported that the Prime Minister's Office has not since given an update on his involvement.

Perspectives

The family: Tesfaye Kasau, Haymanut's father, welcomed Lapid's letter and called for increased action. He believes the case's handling has been influenced by a racist attitude, and he has repeatedly said not enough has been done to find his daughter.

The activists: Racheli Abata, a campaign activist and relative, has been vocal in criticizing the investigation, saying the family views the authorities' handling as an ongoing failure. She has called for a new investigative team and for the Shin Bet to take over, arguing that the police have exhausted their capabilities.

The opposition: Opposition leader Yair Lapid has urged the government to act decisively, calling for maximum resources to be dedicated to re-examining the case and for updates to be provided to the family and the public.