Police in Israel are appealing for public assistance after the brother of a former Hamas hostage went missing earlier this week.
Avera Mengistu, an Ethiopian-born Jew whose family made aliyah as part of Operation Solomon in 1991, was held by the terror group for more than a decade after entering the Gaza Strip of his own accord in 2014.
According to his family, Mengistu was treated for mental health issues following the death of his elder brother, Michael, and wandered into the enclave while in a state of heightened distress, having declined to take his medication for several weeks.
He was eventually released in February last year as part of the Gaza ceasefire process, marking the end of almost 11 years in captivity.
Now, though, his younger brother, 33-year-old Ashgara, has been reported missing. Police stated that he has not been heard from since leaving his mother’s home in Ma’ale Adumim, a settlement just outside Jerusalem, on Sunday.
He was last seen near Zvulun, in the Haifa area, and a major search operation is now underway in the region.
Polive provided an undated photo of Ashgara, describing him as 1.75m tall with black hair. He speaks Amharic and is a resident of the southern port city of Ashkelon.
Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call the Israel Police hotline 100 or the Ashkelon Police Station at 086771440
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