The brother of the former Hamas hostage Avera Mengistu has been missing for two days, with police asking the public for assistance in locating him.
Police say in a statement that Ashgara Mengistu, 33, left his mother’s home in Ma’ale Adumim, just outside Jerusalem, on Sunday, and has not been heard from since.
Police describe Ashgara as 1.75 meters tall, with black hair. A resident of the southern port city of Ashkelon, he speaks Amharic, the statement says. A major search operation is underway in the Haifa District, Kan says. According to the outlet, Ashgara was last seen in the north of the country on Sunday.
His brother, Avera, 38, entered the Gaza Strip of his own accord in 2014, amid mental distress. He was arrested by Hamas shortly after entering the coastal enclave. He was freed only in February 2025, with several other captives, during a ceasefire and hostage release deal with Hamas.
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From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
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