Full Breakdown
Body Found in Petah Tikva Amid Ongoing Search for Missing Dimona Resident Eldar Dayan
8/9/2026, 2:16:23 AM
Core Event
On July 18 police discovered a body in an open area near the Yarkon Interchange in the Petah Tikva region. The remains were in an advanced state of decomposition and were transferred to the L. Greenberg Institute of Forensic Medicine at Abu Kabir for identification and a forensic examination of the circumstances of death. The investigation was moved from the Dimona Police Station to the Sharon District Central Unit after the former’s investigative avenues were deemed exhausted.
Background & Context
Eldar Dayan, 23, a resident of Dimona, disappeared after going out with friends on July 16. Surveillance footage later placed him at a gas station in Petah Tikva on July 18, shortly before contact was lost. In the hours after the gas-station sighting he messaged his sister and girlfriend that there was “some kind of trouble,” after which his phone was switched off. The search for Dayan, now in its third week, has involved the Sharon Central Unit, Petah Tikva police, Border Police troops and volunteers.
Timeline
- July 16 – Dayan disappears after leaving with friends.
- July 17 – He is last reported near Tel Aviv’s Yarkon Park.
- July 18 – Body found near the Yarkon Interchange; police begin forensic processing.
- August 6 2026 – Security and rescue forces are present at the discovery site as the investigation continues.
Data & Statistics
- Two friends, Omri Peretz and Maxim Barberman, are the primary suspects. Their detention was extended by seven days on the day the body was found, and a later request sought a further 15-day extension.
- An abandoned vehicle with a shattered window and removed license plates was located near the gas station; bloodstains were found inside.
- The body’s condition is described as “advanced decomposition,” limiting immediate visual identification.
Official Statements & Responses
- Police emphasized that the identification process had not been completed and that they could not confirm the deceased’s identity at press time.
- The Petah Tikva Magistrate’s Court ordered the remand hearing to be held behind closed doors at the request of both police and the suspects’ defense attorneys.
Criticism & Opposition
- Dayan’s family publicly criticized the police, stating that they learned of the body’s discovery through media reports rather than direct notification. The family called the police conduct “shameful.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Some outlets reported that the body had been positively identified as Eldar Dayan, while others maintained that identification was still pending. No official cause of death has been released, and the exact circumstances surrounding the disappearance remain under investigation.
What’s Next
Forensic experts continue to analyze the remains to confirm identity and determine cause of death. Police investigations remain open to multiple lines of inquiry, including possible hit-and-run scenarios, a brawl-related collision, and threats made against Dayan. The two suspects remain in custody pending further judicial decisions on detention extensions.
