After 918 days: The family of Haimonot Kasau issues an important statement
Haimonot's father welcomed the discovery of the child Yahali Sofer from Petah Tikva, but alongside the joy, he reiterated the pain regarding his daughter who has yet to return home. Ahead of the start of the school year, he called on the Shin Bet to take responsibility for investigating her disappearance and for the public to continue fighting for her.
Following the discovery yesterday, Monday, of 10-year-old Yahali Sofer from Petah Tikva, the family of Haimonot Kasau has issued a statement to the public, asking not to divert attention from the girl who has been missing since February 2024. Haimonot's father, Tesfaye Kasau, addressed the incident in which Yahali was found safe and sound, and expressed joy that the case ended positively.
At the same time, according to him, the event highlighted the gap between the ability to locate a missing child and the reality in which his family has been waiting for their daughter for 918 days.
"Once again we have been privileged to see a good ending to a frightening event and another child found safe and sound," the father said, adding that he and his family are happy for the boy's family, but find it difficult not to think about Haimonot.
According to him, in Yahali's case, a rapid investigation was launched following the alert, while in his daughter's case, they are still waiting for answers. Haimonot Kasau disappeared on February 25, 2024. On the eve of the start of the school year, her father appealed again to the security forces and the Israeli public with a request to continue working for her discovery. Tesfaye called on the Shin Bet to take responsibility for investigating the case, and at the same time asked the public to participate in the red balloon project for Haimonot.
"I ask again for the people of Israel to raise a red balloon tomorrow for Haimonot in schools, offices, and homes, and to continue to be with us and by our side," he said.
With the start of the school year today, students across the country responded to the call and released red balloons as a sign of solidarity with the Kasau family and the struggle to locate Haimonot. The red balloon is used by the headquarters for the return of Haimonot as a symbol for kidnapped and missing children, and through the project, the family sought to remind people of her absence precisely on the day when other children return to school. Haimonot was supposed to start sixth grade this year. Her father emphasized that for the family, this is a particularly difficult day, and asked that the red balloons carry the family's message and remind the public that their daughter has still not returned home.
