Full Breakdown
President Herzog Meets Family of Missing Child Haymanut Kasau
8/26/2026, 1:09:03 AM
Missing Child Case and Ongoing Search
Haymanut Kasau, a nine-year-old girl, vanished on February 25, 2024 after leaving school and spending time with friends near the Jewish Agency absorption center in Safed. Security-camera footage captured her near the center’s entrance shortly before she disappeared. As of August 25, 2026, the case has remained open for 913 days with no confirmed leads; police continue to treat the incident as a missing-person case rather than an established abduction.
Family Appeals and Calls for Shin Bet Involvement
The Kasau parents, Tesfaye and Benchi Kasau, sent a letter on a Monday (date not specified) to Shin Bet chief David Zini requesting that the agency assume direct responsibility for the investigation. The family has repeatedly protested, citing recent successes in other missing-person cases where the Shin Bet or the national crime unit Lahav 433 played a role, and urging a similar allocation of resources for Haymanut’s case.
Official Statements & Responses
President Isaac Herzog met the Kasau family at the President’s Residence on August 25, 2026.
Criticism and Legal Questions
Israel Army Radio later noted that the Shin Bet’s involvement does not automatically imply a nationalist motive, but raised questions about the agency’s legal mandate. The station explained that the Shin Bet typically investigates events involving suspicion of nationalist motives, damage to state symbols, threats to democratic order, or espionage, and suggested that its participation in this case may be difficult to reconcile with existing law.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I thank the Israel Police for making a huge effort together with the Shin Bet and hope that we will receive good news.” — Isaac Herzog, president
- “The State of Israel is using all the tools at its disposal to locate Haymanut,” — Isaac Herzog, president
