WATCH THE VIDEO HERE After 3,821 days in captivity, Avera Mengistu – one of the highest profile Black hostages held by Hamas – is finally home. The Ethiopian-born Israeli, who spent over ten years as a hostage in Gaza, was released on Saturday in Rafah as part of the ongoing ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. Mengistu was freed alongside Tal Shoham, an Israeli victim of the October 7 attack, and was escorted across the border into Israel, where he was received by IDF forces and medical personnel. His release marks the end of a long and painful chapter for his family, who spent years pleading for his return with little response. Mengistu’s ordeal began in 2014, when he crossed into Gaza during a period of mental distress. Since then, his whereabouts and condition remained largely unknown, with Hamas refusing to provide proof of life for years. His family described their suffering as “unimaginable”, enduring over a decade of uncertainty about whether he was alive. In a statement following his release, his relatives expressed both relief and exhaustion: “Our family has endured ten years and five months of unimaginable suffering. During this time, there have been continuous efforts to secure his return, with prayers and pleas, some silent, that remained unanswered until today.” Mengistu and Shoham are two of six hostages freed as part of this latest stage of the ceasefire agreement. The other released hostages include: Meanwhile, Hisham al-Sayed, a Bedouin Israeli citizen, will be released separately later. Reports suggest that his handover will be done quietly and from a different location in Gaza, supposedly “out of respect for Palestinian citizens of Israel.” Following his release, Mengistu was seen embracing his family at an IDF facility near the Gaza border. An emotional video, shared by the Israeli military, captured the tearful reunion, marking the end of over a decade of forced separation. The IDF later posted on X (formerly Twitter): “3,821 days. 10 years apart. Unlike other hostages, such as Tal Shoham, who appeared visibly frail and malnourished, Mengistu seemed to be in relatively stable condition, maintaining a similar body weight to when he was first taken. Following his long-awaited return, Mengistu and the other freed hostages have been taken to medical facilities for evaluation. Their release marks the final group of living hostages to be freed in the first phase of the ceasefire agreement. However, the fate of many other hostages remains unknown, with reports of ongoing negotiations to secure additional releases. For Mengistu’s family, this moment is bittersweet. While they finally have him back, the scars of captivity and a decade of uncertainty will take time to heal. A Decade in Captivity
Hostage Release Under Ceasefire Deal
An Emotional Reunion
Avera Mengistu’s family has suffered his absence for a decade, not knowing if he was safe or even alive.
Today, they can finally hold him again.”
What’s Next?
Trump & Israel Negotiate Release OF Longest Held BLACK HOSTAGE!
