Tel Aviv protesters block roads, demand Shin Bet investigate Haymanut Kasau's disappearance

Dozens of protesters took to the Ayalon Highway near Tel Aviv's Azrieli Center, blocking traffic and demanding that Israel's internal security agency, the Shin Bet, take over the investigation into the disappearance of four-year-old Haymanut Kasau. Police removed the demonstrators from the highway.

“

Her case is an abduction. She is defined as missing, but in practice she was abducted on February 25, 2024, from the absorption center. The family is now asking for the Shin Bet to enter the investigation because they believe the police have failed.

Relatives and activists campaigning on Kasau's behalf stated that the police investigation had reached its limits. They believe the case is an abduction, not merely a missing person incident, and that the Shin Bet's involvement is crucial for progress. Racheli Abata, a campaign activist and Kasau's relative, told Walla that the family views the authorities' handling of the case as an ongoing failure.

"Her case is an abduction. She is defined as missing, but in practice she was abducted on February 25, 2024, from the absorption center," Abata said. "The family is now asking for the Shin Bet to enter the investigation because they believe the police have failed." She added that the case was transferred to Lahav 433, the National Crime Unit, with no subsequent response, leaving her father furious and seeking answers only the Shin Bet can provide.

“

The police admitted that this was beyond their capabilities. Enough, we have reached our limit. The authorities have abandoned us. Apart from politics, we do not see them doing anything. We do not know what condition she is in, or whether she is eating and drinking. Time is not on her side.

Abata emphasized the significant difference Shin Bet involvement makes in investigations, contrasting Kasau's case with that of a boy who went missing in Ashkelon, where the agency joined within a day. "We receive no updates and do not know where things stand," she stated, expressing concern that time is running out for Haymanut. The family feels abandoned by the authorities, noting that Haymanut was last seen entering the complex but not leaving, and they are unaware of her condition.

“

Look at the enormous difference when the Shin Bet is involved in an investigation. We receive no updates and do not know where things stand. This is a family that has been in Israel for five years, and she was abducted after just three years. She is seen entering the complex, but she is not seen leaving.