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After nearly 11 years in Hamas captivity, Avera Mengistu returned to Israel after being released on Saturday as part of the cease-fire and hostage release deal.
Mengistu was freed alongside Tal Shoham, who was abducted during the Oct. 7 massacre. Both men walked on their own when Hamas staged a ceremony before handing them over to the Red Cross, which then transferred them to the IDF.
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Avera Mengistu meets his family after over a decade in Gaza
(Photo: GPO)
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Waiting for Avera Mengistu
(Video: Lior Ben Ari)
Mengistu, who suffers from mental health challenges, crossed into Gaza in 2014 on his own, walking across the border near a beach in southern Israel. He had been held by the terror group ever since.
Israel’s Ethiopian community had long fought for his release, demanding that the government do more to secure his freedom.
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In a video clip released in 2023, his family saw the first sign of life from Mengistu. In the footage, he questioned why Israel had not acted to secure his release after years of suffering.
Shula Mula, an Ethiopian-Israeli activist who had campaigned for Mengistu’s freedom, said Saturday that his family and friends endured a difficult ordeal. “They were threatened that if they spoke out, Avera would remain in Gaza,” she said.
“We understood that he was left there because the government did not want to get him out. It could have claimed humanitarian reasons but did nothing. We were unable to draw public attention. He is mentally ill and Ethiopian—two difficult identities. No one was in a rush to free him.”