177:
Gaza. A security camera on an army watchtower noticed him trying to climb the fence, and the patrol that had let him pass earlier was notified. By the time they arrived, Mengistu had reached the top of the fence. They called for him to stop and fired a warning shot into the air, but he ignored them and scaled the fence. He left behind the bag, which was found to contain slippers, a towel, a Bible, and a few other books, one of which had his name on it. Since then, he has not been seen by any
Israeli. Israel contacted the
255:, in an effort to gain their assistance and to put pressure on Hamas to release Avera. The family provided medical documentation of his hospitalizations and his need for daily medication and therapy, as well as proof he did not serve in the army, carry any weapon, and was in no way involved in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. The family returned to Israel with the promise of help.
279:, director of the Middle East and North Africa division of Human Rights Watch, said "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. No grievance or objective can justify holding people incommunicado and bartering over their fates."
270:, calling on the group to "officially and unconditionally disclose" whether it was holding the men and to free them unless "a credible legal basis" for holding them could be provided. In its report, Human Rights Watch wrote that both men had histories of mental health problems. The report also said that although
176:
and arrived at the security fence between Israel and the Gaza Strip. An
Israeli patrol who were guarding electrical work spotted him carrying a bag near the security fence with Gaza and let him pass. One of the soldiers later said he thought Mengistu was a Sudanese refugee who had decided to move to
304:
and subsequently rearrested as the "entry fee" to start negotiating for the release of
Mengistu and for the separation of his negotiation from other issues. An unnamed Israeli official said in July 2016 that Hamas wanted a deal similar to the Shalit exchange, in which hundreds of prisoners would be
330:
to focus public attention on
Mengistu's situation. "I asked them for Avera's bag, which was after the incident", he said. "The bag still had clothes; the bag looked bad because they fired upon , warning shots. There is a 'conspiracy of silence' with Israel's security forces. I ask, why don't they
317:
In June 2017, the IDF gave
Mengistu's family a copy of the security camera footage showing him crossing into Gaza. They had been shown the tape several months after his disappearance, but a few years later they requested a copy of their own. When she accepted the tape from representatives from the
274:
had referred to both men as soldiers, Mengistu had been deemed "unfit for service" by the IDF and al-Sayed had been discharged three months after he volunteered in 2008 as "incompatible for service". The report added that photos of the men in military uniforms circulated by Hamas appeared to have
287:
Critics say the
Mengistu family is being treated poorly because of their Ethiopian ethnicity. Avera's brother, Yalo, has stated that if Avera were white, the affair would have been handled differently. A message sent on Hamas' Twitter account said, "Obviously, the real Israeli motto is 'leave no
238:
wrote, "The main reason for the low profile in which the incident was dealt with was the fear that public announcement will make it difficult for Hamas to return
Mengistu to Israel, since a massive public pressure will be applied to Hamas to not return him without an extensive deal of prisoners
209:
regarding the incident was put into place. It lasted 10 months, until July 9, 2015. Discussions took place in social media forums and some reports were published on foreign websites. Some clues about the affair were leaked to different Arabic media outlets, from which the story made its way to
322:
and IDF Intelligence Unit, Mengistu's mother said "I would have preferred to see footage of my son
Avraham Mengistu returning home. My son Avera struggles with mental health disabilities and there is a daily concern for his life. The delivery of the recording does not exempt the state of its
754:
334:
In
January 2023, Hamas released an undated video allegedly of Mengistu. In the video, the man purported to be Mengitsu asks: "How much longer will I be in captivity? After so many years, where are the state and the people of Israel?". The video was published shortly after
135:, Tal Harris described the Mengistu family as extremely underprivileged and belonging to the poorest socio-economic sector of Israeli society. Mengistu attended public schools. After finishing high school, Mengistu worked in a series of odd jobs, including recycling.
155:
for 12 days in
January 2013, but his family did not think he seemed better when he was released. Five days later, they had him committed involuntarily for a week, but after his release, he threw away his medication. According to his brother, his condition worsened.
138:
In 2011, Mengistu began to experience mental health problems after his older brother Masrashau died. He became withdrawn from his family and friends. He tied a piece of string around one of his fingers so tightly it cut off the blood flow, causing severe
103:, and has been missing since then. His family has stated that he is mentally unstable and had been admitted to a mental hospital in the past. He had been treated with medication, which he stopped taking a few weeks prior to his crossing.
359:
should prepare himself to bear the burden of this failure and its consequences." A brother of Mengistu's was unable to confirm whether or not the person in the video was his brother Avera. In response to the footage, the
184:
Initially, a Hamas official said Mengistu was interrogated and seemed to have psychological problems. Israeli officials said there is "credible intelligence" that Hamas holds Mengistu "against his will". Later,
147:. He also began asking friends for money and traveling alone through various parts of Israel. At one point, his family considered him missing until police located him almost 200 kilometers (120 mi) away in
364:
released a statement maintaining that "the State of Israel invests all its resources and efforts to return its missing sons held captive to their home", and called on Israeli media to not cooperate with Hamas.
163:
after a medical committee found him unfit for service. According to a childhood friend, in the year before his disappearance, his condition further worsened, and he began to hurt himself and talk illogically.
172:
On September 7, 2014, Mengistu asked his mother to give him money. When she told him she did not have any, he became angry and left at about noon without saying anything. He then walked to a beach in
841:
129:, which is 20 kilometers (12 mi) from Gaza. His mother cleaned houses for a living, while his father became chronically unemployed, and his parents divorced in 2012. In a column in
384:
890:
228:
the previous day, in which he spoke of an Israeli request through a European intermediary for the release of "two soldiers and two bodies", may have "forced Israel's hand".
615:
900:
379:
451:
800:
905:
910:
875:
361:
880:
326:
Mengistu's father feels that the government is not being transparent with him. On 2 July 2018, he spoke at a conference organized by
306:
288:
Ashkenazi man behind,'" an apparent reference to the military and diplomatic efforts made by Israel on behalf of captured soldier
340:
331:
tell us the whole story, everything that happened there. I ask from you, from the public and from the government, to help me."
629:
712:
301:
355:
and his lies to the people and government with imaginary and delusional achievements" and that "the incoming Chief of Staff
194:
193:
that Mengistu wore a uniform, was mentally healthy, and that his case had come up during truce negotiations related to the
348:
319:
309:
and IDF officer Hadar Goldin and the living civilians Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, an Israeli Bedouin held by Hamas.
418:
562:
190:
885:
895:
344:
252:
160:
151:. He agreed to undergo psychiatric treatment and was hospitalized voluntarily in a mental facility in
870:
651:
529:
689:[Two Years After Avera's Disappearance: 'You Cannot Let His Voice Go Unheard'] (in Hebrew).
717:
271:
487:
143:
that led to the amputation of the finger. He quit his job and refused to accept benefits from the
620:
534:
456:
422:
374:
300:
In 2016, Hamas demanded the release of 60 Palestinian prisoners who were released as part of the
276:
259:
186:
131:
125:, immigrated to Israel) with his family at age five and grew up in a low-income neighborhood in
211:
786:
740:
625:
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510:
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864:
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772:
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by blogger Richard Silverstein. The gag order was lifted following a request from
181:
and officials in the Gaza Strip and demanded that Mengistu be returned to Israel.
197:, which took place weeks before the date Israel says Mengistu crossed into Gaza.
352:
327:
96:
60:
585:""החיילים חשבו שמנגיסטו סודאני": הכשלים שהובילו להסתננות לעזה - וואלה! חדשות"
251:
in 2015 to meet with human rights organizations, including the Red Cross and
115:, the fourth of ten children in Haili and Agumesh Mengistu's family. He made
801:"Avera Mengistu's Father: Son's Disappearance is a 'Conspiracy of Silence'".
690:
511:"Hamas official: Mengistu isn't mentally unstable, captured during Gaza war"
488:"Two Israelis missing after disappearing into Gaza, one being held by Hamas"
206:
178:
159:
In March 2013, Mengistu was exempted from mandatory military service in the
152:
452:"Family of Israeli said held by Hamas gets tape of him crossing into Gaza"
842:"Hamas Releases Rare Unverified Footage of Israeli Captive in Gaza Strip"
787:"Hamas seeks another Shalit deal for soldiers' bodies, missing civilians"
148:
140:
126:
112:
47:
189:, deputy chairman of Hamas' political bureau, said in an interview with
584:
492:
216:
95:, born 1986) is an Ethiopian-born Israeli man who crossed into
656:
248:
117:
88:
173:
100:
817:"WATCH: Hamas publishes video of captured Israeli Avera Mengistu"
713:"Rights group blasts Hamas for holding 2 'mentally ill' Israelis"
671:
Rapaport, Amir (July 10, 2015). "A question of responsibility".
616:"Amid Detente With Hamas, Israel Says 2 Citizens Held in Gaza"
741:"Hamas takes a jab at Israel over missing Israeli Ethiopian"
599:"Israel: No Hamas prisoner release for two missing Israelis"
323:
responsibility to operate to return my son to his country."
755:"Hamas: Two conditions before any negotiation on prisoners"
565:[Who Are You, Avera Mengistu?] (in Hebrew). Mako.il
262:
issued a report condemning Hamas for holding Mengistu and
351:"stresses the failure of outgoing IDF chief of staff
292:and the lack of such efforts on Mengistu's behalf.
275:been "photoshopped". When the report was released,
66:
54:
40:
21:
305:released in return for the bodies of IDF soldier
419:"2 Israelis Who Entered Gaza Held Incommunicado"
773:"דיווח: מו"מ לעסקת שבויים בה יושב גם תושב העיר"
687:"'שנתיים להיעלמות אברה: 'לא ניתן לקולו לידום"
99:on September 7, 2014. He was interrogated by
8:
347:. It begins with a message stating that the
505:
503:
891:Israeli people of Ethiopian-Jewish descent
18:
482:
480:
478:
476:
474:
210:international media and was published to
442:
440:
395:
556:
554:
552:
610:
608:
413:
411:
409:
407:
405:
403:
401:
399:
7:
380:2023 Israel–Hamas war hostage crisis
224:speculated that a statement made by
14:
799:Oren Oppenheimer (July 3, 2018).
530:"Avera, Hisham and Jumma Need Us"
528:Harris, Tal (December 11, 2016).
901:Hostage taking in the Gaza Strip
652:"Two Israelis are held in Gaza"
821:The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com
628:. July 9, 2015. Archived from
561:Mosko, Yigal (July 10, 2015).
385:List of people who disappeared
302:Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange
1:
906:Israeli people taken hostage
247:The Mengistu family went to
145:National Insurance Institute
911:21st-century Israeli people
44:1986 (age 37–38)
927:
876:2010s missing person cases
283:Allegations of racist bias
881:21st-century Israeli Jews
195:2014 Israel–Gaza conflict
92:
31:
29:
28:
23:Avraham "Avera" Mengistu
362:Prime Minister's Office
339:took oath of office as
775:. Ynet. July 12, 2016.
601:. Ynet. July 10, 2015.
563:"מי אתה אברה מנגיסטו?"
341:Chief of General Staff
789:. Ynet. July 4, 2016.
743:. Ynet. July 9, 2015.
345:Israel Defense Forces
253:Amnesty International
205:In Israel, a blanket
161:Israel Defense Forces
111:Mengistu was born in
32:אבֵרהם "אברה" מנגיסטו
693:. September 23, 2016
718:The Times of Israel
272:Hamas military wing
266:, another Israeli,
16:Missing Israeli man
804:The Jerusalem Post
621:The New York Times
535:The Jerusalem Post
457:The Jerusalem Post
423:Human Rights Watch
375:Elhanan Tannenbaum
349:al-Qassam Brigades
313:Later developments
277:Sarah Leah Whitson
260:Human Rights Watch
243:Diplomatic efforts
187:Moussa Abu Marzouk
132:The Jerusalem Post
823:. 16 January 2023
761:. March 28, 2016.
450:(June 18, 2017).
74:
73:
918:
856:
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632:on July 12, 2015
626:Associated Press
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547:
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517:. July 17, 2015.
507:
498:
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469:
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444:
435:
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430:
415:
320:Defense Ministry
222:Associated Press
94:
58:7 September 2014
35:
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19:
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759:Asharq Al-Awsat
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734:
724:
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711:
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706:
696:
694:
685:
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680:
670:
669:
665:
660:. July 9, 2015.
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496:. July 9, 2015.
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417:
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264:Hisham al-Sayed
245:
203:
170:
109:
59:
50:
45:
36:
30:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
924:
922:
914:
913:
908:
903:
898:
893:
888:
886:Missing people
883:
878:
873:
863:
862:
858:
857:
833:
808:
792:
778:
764:
746:
732:
704:
678:
663:
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590:
587:. 9 July 2015.
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226:Khaled Mashaal
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10:
9:
6:
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2:
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896:Living people
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721:. May 3, 2017
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448:Melman, Yossi
443:
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425:. May 2, 2017
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296:Hamas demands
295:
293:
291:
282:
280:
278:
273:
269:
268:incommunicado
265:
261:
258:In May 2017,
256:
254:
250:
242:
240:
237:
233:
232:Amir Rapaport
229:
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849:. Retrieved
845:
836:
825:. Retrieved
820:
811:
803:
795:
781:
767:
749:
735:
725:December 10,
723:. Retrieved
716:
707:
695:. Retrieved
681:
673:Makor Rishon
666:
655:
646:
634:. Retrieved
630:the original
619:
593:
579:
567:. Retrieved
539:. Retrieved
533:
523:
514:
491:
463:December 10,
461:. Retrieved
455:
429:December 10,
427:. Retrieved
357:Herzi Halevi
337:Herzi Halevi
333:
328:MK Hilik Bar
325:
316:
299:
290:Gilad Shalit
286:
257:
246:
236:Makor Rishon
230:
215:
204:
183:
171:
158:
137:
130:
122:
116:
110:
93:אברה מנגיסטו
84:
80:
76:
75:
871:1986 births
353:Aviv Kohavi
67:Nationality
55:Disappeared
865:Categories
851:2023-01-16
827:2023-01-16
391:References
307:Oron Shaul
212:Tikun Olam
191:Al Jazeera
107:Background
61:Gaza strip
806:(online).
697:April 30,
691:Nrg.co.il
636:April 30,
569:April 30,
541:April 30,
207:gag order
201:Gag order
179:Red Cross
153:Beersheba
369:See also
168:Incident
149:Tiberias
141:gangrene
127:Ashkelon
113:Ethiopia
85:Mengistu
48:Ethiopia
846:Haaretz
515:Haaretz
493:Haaretz
343:of the
239:swap".
217:Haaretz
77:Avraham
70:Israeli
34:
657:Maariv
249:Geneva
220:. The
118:aliyah
89:Hebrew
174:Zikim
101:Hamas
81:Avera
727:2017
699:2017
638:2017
571:2017
543:2017
465:2017
431:2017
123:i.e.
97:Gaza
41:Born
234:of
867::
844:.
819:.
757:.
715:.
654:.
624:.
618:.
607:^
551:^
532:.
513:.
502:^
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439:^
421:.
398:^
91::
83:"
854:.
830:.
729:.
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640:.
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433:.
121:(
87:(
79:"
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