Two Israelis held in captivity by Hamas

Two Israelis have disappeared into the Gaza Strip over the last months, it was revealed on Thursday following the lifting of a long-standing gag order.

Little to nothing is known about either of their whereabouts: one, a 28-year-old of Ethiopian origin who climbed over the security fence with Gaza in September, was reportedly detained and questioned by Hamas and then released; the second, an Israeli Arab who crossed at the Erez Crossing in April, was apparently taken into Hamas custody and is still being held.

An Israeli court lifted reporting restrictions on the disappearance of the Israeli Ethiopian, Avera Mengistu, on Thursday morning, 10 months after he went missing, following a request from Haaretz…. READ MORE

HAARETZ

• Israel does not want to link talks to return Mengistu home with negotiations to bring back the bodies of two IDF soldiers killed during Operation Protective Edge.
• President Reuven Rivlin’s statement regarding the situation of Israeli citizens being held in Gaza:

“This is a painful situation which I, together with the relevant officials at the President’s Office, have been following closely since it began. I am in contact with the Mengistu family and I know that all the relevant authorities have been working tirelessly, and monitoring the issue closely, from the moment Avraham crossed over the fence. This is a humanitarian issue, and we expect those holding him to behave accordingly and return him in good health. According to the information which has arisen, Mengistu is being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. We will continue to make every effort in order to bring an end to this incident, as soon as possible”