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JERUSALEM – Among the 33 captives set to be released in the first phase of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas is Avera Mengistu, an Israeli Jew of Ethiopian descent who has spent the past 11 years in Hamas captivity.
Unlike the majority of hostages taken during the October 7, 2023, attacks, Mengistu was captured in 2014 under vastly different circumstances.
A Decade in Captivity
Mengistu, now 38, crossed into Gaza on September 7, 2014, reportedly suffering from mental health issues. He had left his home in Ashkelon after an argument with his mother and voluntarily entered northern Gaza.
His family and human rights organizations have emphasized that he was not a soldier, despite Hamas’s claims to the contrary.
Hamas co-founder Mahmoud al-Zahar, in a 2016 meeting with Human Rights Watch, dismissed the notion of civilians in Israel, stating, “There are no civilians in Israel, since all serve in the army.” He added, “Israelis who enter Gaza are spies.”
Despite numerous appeals from his family, human rights groups, and Israeli officials, Mengistu has remained in Hamas custody, with little information about his well-being. In January 2023, Hamas released a video showing him asking Israel to negotiate for his release.
Family’s Long Struggle for His Return
Mengistu’s mother, Agurnesh Mengistu, expressed skepticism about the video, telling Channel 12 in Amharic: “It’s not my son’s voice. I know his voice. I raised my son. I recognize that part of the head. It’s his head, but the voice is different.”
Her distress was compounded by years of uncertainty. “Netanyahu told me, ‘We talked to the Red Cross, and they said he is alive, he is alive, he is alive.’
He is the one who always told me not to worry,” she recalled. “I want my son. I want to be allowed to see my son, to look into his eyes and see him.”
Gil Elias, a relative, reiterated Mengistu’s vulnerable condition when he entered Gaza. “Avera crossed one of the safest borders in the world, under the eyes of the security services,” Elias told DW News. “We’re talking about a mentally ill person who got lost.”
Criticism of Government Inaction
Elias has been vocal in his criticism of the Israeli government, accusing it of neglecting Mengistu’s case due to racial bias.
“This naivete is what’s been keeping Avera in Gaza for more than nine years,” he said, adding, “I always say that Avera’s case is Israeli society’s citizenship test. And it’s a test we have failed.”
His brother, Ilan Mengistu, expressed similar frustration at a rally marking the 10th anniversary of Avera’s capture.
“Mother sits in front of the news every night to see your picture and says—‘This is how I at least know you are not forgotten.’ Your country, which is supposed to care for you, is abandoning you.”
A Case of Discrimination?
Members of Israel’s Ethiopian Jewish community have long argued that the government’s lack of action in Mengistu’s case is a reflection of broader racial disparities. Many believe that had he been of European descent, his case would have received more urgent attention.
“Avera’s story is my story, and it’s the story of the entire Ethiopian community,” Israeli artist Michal Worke told NPR. “Nine years he’s been a hostage in Gaza, and no one cares.”
Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, condemned Hamas’s treatment of Mengistu.
“Hamas’s refusal to confirm its apparent prolonged detention of men with mental health conditions and no connection to the hostilities is cruel and indefensible,” she said.
“No grievance or objective can justify holding people incommunicado and bartering over their fates.”
Hope on the Horizon?
The latest ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas includes the release of hostages, with Mengistu among those expected to return home.
The Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that the release could begin as soon as Sunday, pending cabinet approval.
While his family awaits official confirmation, the years of advocacy and anguish have left deep scars. His mother remains hopeful but wary, having spent nearly a decade pleading for his return.
For Israel, Mengistu’s case has become more than just the story of a hostage—it is a symbol of societal neglect, government accountability, and the ongoing struggle for equality within the nation’s Ethiopian Jewish community.
As the world watches to see whether this long-overdue release will materialize, Mengistu’s family clings to hope that their nightmare will finally come to an end.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members