For over a decade, the world seemed to have forgotten about Avera Mengistu, an Israeli man with reported mental health issues who entered Gaza in 2014 and was captured by Hamas. That all changed in October 2023, when a brutal Hamas attack killed over 1,200 Israelis and led to the abduction of another 250. In the ensuing 15-month war, Mengistu’s plight, along with that of dozens of other hostages, suddenly took center stage.
Now, after a painstaking ceasefire agreement, a flicker of hope has emerged for the families desperately awaiting news. On Friday, the Israeli government approved a deal to exchange 33 hostages held in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners, pausing the conflict for an initial six weeks. The list of those to be freed included Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, another Israeli civilian held for years.
A Decade of Anguish
For Mengistu’s family, who never stopped fighting for his release, the past decade has been a blur of dashed hopes and government inaction. “The government didn’t work hard enough on bringing him back when they actually could do it,” his cousin Gil Elias lamented. “They didn’t want to pay the price.”
That sentiment of abandonment is shared by many families of the hostages, who feel their loved ones gradually became less of a priority as the war dragged on. “Time ran out a long time ago,” said Moshe Lavi, whose brother-in-law Omri Miran is among the captives. “The international community completely failed. Our government failed by not prioritizing their release enough.”
A Fragile Glimmer of Hope
Under the phased agreement, Hamas will initially release 33 hostages, including children, women, and older men, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. The remaining hostages would be freed in a second phase as Israel gradually withdraws. But everyone is painfully aware how easily the deal could fracture.
“It’s been like this in the past where we were lured by the tantalizing prospect of an imminent deal and then having it snatched away, having our hopes raised to stratospheric levels and then dashed on the rocks of despair.”
Adam Ma’anit, cousin of hostage Tsachi Idan
Walking a Political Tightrope
The fate of the deal remains precarious as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu navigates pressure from far-right coalition partners who oppose any compromise. Both National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich have threatened to resign, potentially derailing the agreement.
“They are exploiting the hostage deal because they have other interests, like re-establishing settlements,” said Lavi. “I just hope the government is not going to make an unwise decision this time.”
Awaiting an Uncertain Reunion
As the hours tick down to the first prisoner exchange, the families of the hostages oscillate between anticipation and dread, knowing that any misstep could plunge the region back into chaos. For Elias, the mix of emotions is almost unbearable.
“My heart is beating 200bpm, my stomach is flipped. For 10 years we have been waiting for this moment to come, but it never did. And now finally it’s happening. I know he’s still alive.”
Gil Elias, cousin of hostage Avera Mengistu
Across the divide, hundreds of Palestinian families are experiencing a similar anxious vigil, praying that their imprisoned relatives will be among those released. For those on both sides of the conflict, the ceasefire deal represents a long-overdue chance for closure after years of suffering. But until the last hostage and prisoner is home, their agonizing wait continues.
