Brother of former Hamas hostage goes missing in Israel

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 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.