Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
The Mengistu family is still processing what they call a miracle—the return of Avera Mengistu after more than a decade in Hamas captivity. His brother, Ilan Mengistu, was the first to greet him upon his arrival in Israel on Saturday. "He responds to questions when asked, makes eye contact, and we're trying not to overwhelm him," Ilan shared Monday. "There's a generally good feeling, but he has a long rehabilitation ahead."
In an interview with Ynet, Ilan described their emotional reunion, and said Avera immediately seemed to recognize that something positive was happening. "I believe he will improve over time. Our mother is a lioness—she never stopped believing he was alive, and she welcomed him back with tears in her eyes."
live
Avera Mengistu meets his family for the first time
(Video: IDF)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Avera on Saturday, thanking his family for their unwavering faith and efforts to secure his return. "All of Israel is moved and embraces you today," Netanyahu told him, according to the Prime Minister's Office. Ilan recalled the brief exchange: "Avera simply said he was 'okay'—nothing more. It was a very short call, and we thanked him."
Avera, who struggles with mental illness, crossed into Gaza on his own on Oct. 7, 2014. "I don't know how much he fully understands," Ilan admitted. "I was the first to hear the devastating news when he crossed the border, and now I was the first to see him in Re’im. It was an incredible sense of closure."
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
He described how Avera’s natural gesture of reaching for his hand and showing him respect signaled recognition. "He even remembered something from our childhood—when I injured my finger with a bullet. He asked how my hand was doing. We need to keep supporting him and praying for him."
On his brother’s fragile mental state, Ilan said: "Avera came back alive and physically well. Despite the hell he endured, his condition is stable. We believe he will only improve. Right now, he's not sharing much, and we’re giving him space to recover in the most natural way possible. But in Re’im, I saw it—the humanity, the face of Avera, had returned to him."
In January 2023, Hamas released the first proof of life—a short video of Avera in captivity. "Even our mother had trouble recognizing him in that footage," Ilan said. "But when he arrived in Re’im, when he was in the hands of Israeli soldiers, his soul came back to him. We could feel it—his recognition, his connection to us. After a decade in captivity, in inhumane conditions and complete isolation, his spirit remains incredibly strong. We believe he will overcome this."
Sourasky Medical Center in Israel, where both Avera and Hisham Al Sayed were taken for medical evaluation, acknowledged the complexity of their recovery. "The circumstances of their prolonged captivity and their return after so many years present significant challenges," hospital officials said. "We feel both honored and deeply responsible to lead their care, navigating complexities we have never encountered before."