Cleared for Publication: Two Israeli Citizens Are Being Held in Gaza
The first is a young man who went through the border fence into the Gaza Strip in September 2014, and is apparently held captive by Hamas. The second is a young man, a member of a minority community, who crossed the border months ago
Or Heller
| 09/07/2015
It has been cleared for publication that Hamas is apparently holding a mentally ill young Israeli, since September 2014, shortly after Operation Protective Edge ended.
Avraham, 28, a resident of Ashkelon, crossed the border into the Gaza Strip ten months ago. He was captured by Hamas and moved into hiding. Information about the incident was given to the Mengistu family.
Available information suggest that Mengistu is being held captive by Hamas in Gaza. Israel has turned to international and regional bodies in order to gather more information on his condition, and demanded his immediate release. The Ministry of Defense announced in a statement that Israel will continue in all efforts to end this situation with the return of the citizens back to Israel.
As mentioned above, the incident occurred a few weeks the fighting in Gaza in the summer of 2014 ended. He was observed trying to climb the border fence in the northern Gaza Strip. After he managed to cross, he began running toward the depth of the Gazan territory.
A defense official said there was no current information on Mengistu's fate, and that he had initially been arrested by Hamas. According to the source, Hamas claimed it had questioned Mengistu but released him because he was not a soldier. The official further said there is an intelligence gathering efforts and attempts to negotiate his release.
The Defense Minister also disclosed that in another incident a Bedouin Israeli citizen is also in Gaza territory, his name is being withheld. The state added that this young person has crossed the border into Gaza several times in the past.
Last night, Hamas held a mass rally marking the anniversary of the fighting in Gaza. During the rally, the organization introduced two new types of rockets, according to the organization. The ranges of the new rockets are unknown. During the rally, Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal addressed the retrieving of abducted bodies of two IDF soldiers, saying that Israel sent him messages through an international mediator regarding its desire to retrieve the bodies of the fallen soldiers, held by Hamas since the recent operation in Gaza.
The first is a young man who went through the border fence into the Gaza Strip in September 2014, and is apparently held captive by Hamas. The second is a young man, a member of a minority community, who crossed the border months ago
It has been cleared for publication that Hamas is apparently holding a mentally ill young Israeli, since September 2014, shortly after Operation Protective Edge ended.
Avraham, 28, a resident of Ashkelon, crossed the border into the Gaza Strip ten months ago. He was captured by Hamas and moved into hiding. Information about the incident was given to the Mengistu family.
Available information suggest that Mengistu is being held captive by Hamas in Gaza. Israel has turned to international and regional bodies in order to gather more information on his condition, and demanded his immediate release. The Ministry of Defense announced in a statement that Israel will continue in all efforts to end this situation with the return of the citizens back to Israel.
As mentioned above, the incident occurred a few weeks the fighting in Gaza in the summer of 2014 ended. He was observed trying to climb the border fence in the northern Gaza Strip. After he managed to cross, he began running toward the depth of the Gazan territory.
A defense official said there was no current information on Mengistu's fate, and that he had initially been arrested by Hamas. According to the source, Hamas claimed it had questioned Mengistu but released him because he was not a soldier. The official further said there is an intelligence gathering efforts and attempts to negotiate his release.
The Defense Minister also disclosed that in another incident a Bedouin Israeli citizen is also in Gaza territory, his name is being withheld. The state added that this young person has crossed the border into Gaza several times in the past.
Last night, Hamas held a mass rally marking the anniversary of the fighting in Gaza. During the rally, the organization introduced two new types of rockets, according to the organization. The ranges of the new rockets are unknown. During the rally, Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal addressed the retrieving of abducted bodies of two IDF soldiers, saying that Israel sent him messages through an international mediator regarding its desire to retrieve the bodies of the fallen soldiers, held by Hamas since the recent operation in Gaza.
