Avera Mengistu is an Ethiopian Israeli who had been held captive by Hamas for over a decade. After battling severe psychological issues for several years, Mengistu had crossed into the Gaza Strip in 2014. Hamas held him captive and efforts to obtain his release failed for several years.
He was finally released in February 2025 as part of the 2025 Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage deal.
Avera Mengistu, a young Israeli of Ethiopian descent, mistakenly crossed into Gaza in 2014. Now 11 years after his abduction, his status has raised alarms for members of his community.
While families of hostages have welcomed the agreement, others criticized the release of high-security detainees. The government has stressed the necessity of the deal to bring hostages home.
"As of yesterday, September 7, it has been 10 years of Avera Mengistu being held in Hamas' brutal captivity," said the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
This past year has been eventful, with ups and downs alike.
The terrorist group did not provide further details about the dog tag, which carried the name of the Givati Brigade.
Ayelet Goldin, Hadar's sister, called out to Netanyahu "You are guilty, prime minister. You are abandoning soldiers and civilians."
Hamas, after it shared footage of Avera Mengistu, said most prisoner swap deals were with right-wing Israeli governments.
Readers of The Jerusalem Post have their say.
It seems that Avera Mengistu is too black and poor for the Israeli government to care and too Israeli for the international community to care.
JPOST Digital Library
