From Captivity to Recovery: Avera Mengistu’s Decade-Long Ordeal Ends in Triumph

After 10 Years in Hamas Hands, Ethiopian-Israeli’s Release Sparks Hope

After 10.5 years held by Hamas in Gaza, Ethiopian-Israeli Avera Mengistu, 36, walked out of Ichilov Hospital Tuesday, a beacon of hope amid ongoing hostage crises.

Discharged at 6:43 p.m. local time, Mengistu, who suffers severe mental illness, was kidnapped on September 7, 2014, after crossing into Gaza, sparking a decade of anguish for his family.

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Released on February 22, 2025, under a ceasefire deal, his rehabilitation highlights a rare success in a conflict that still holds 59 hostages, per recent estimates.