Notices by Zecharias Zelalem (zekuzelalem@dair-community.social)

Hisham and Avera are among the names of 33 Israeli hostages submitted by Hamas to ceasefire mediators. The two will be released in the ceasefire's "first phase," which will coincide with an Israeli troop withdrawal, and the releases of Palestinian hostages.

If everything pans out as planned, these mothers should be reunited soon with their sons, after a decade long ordeal.

FIN.

Avera's family has accused the Israeli state of racism, saying far more would have been done had he been white. According to Avera's brother, the government urged the family initially to be silent about the kidnapping, to not endanger possible rescue efforts. A media gag order was enacted as well. Eventually, they grew frustrated and began to speak openly.

Hamas, also echoed the racism accusation in a tweet made before its permanent ban from Twitter.

Later, in 2019, Avera's mother Agarnesh met Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed when he visited Israel. This meeting also appears to have simply been a publicity stunt, to give the impression that efforts were ongoing.

Agarnesh would eventually accuse the Israeli government of doing nothing concrete to save her son.

In 2016, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked his Ethiopian counterpart, Hailemariam Desalegn to assist with efforts to secure the release of the Ethiopian born hostage.

Despite Ethiopia's warm ties with Israel, Netanyahu might have thought that Ethiopia's recognition of Palestinian statehood could have served as leverage in negotiations with Hamas.

Ultimately, it proved fruitless. Ethiopia isn't known to have intervened in any capacity on Avera's behalf.

The only images of Hisham & Avera from the last decade, have been from Hamas propaganda releases. This one is from January 2023. In 2022, Hamas released footage of a bedridden Hisham hooked to an oxygen tank after his health deteriorated.

Bedouin elders attempted to make contact with Hamas on the family's behalf, but they were rebuffed by Hamas leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, who made it clear that without an exchange, Hisham would never be released.

https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/hamas-footage-israel-captive-gaza-avera-mengistu

The families of both special needs hostages, have spent the last decade campaigning heavily for the releases of their loved ones. The causes are a source of brewing resent in the Ethiopian and Bedouin communities in Israel.

Members of both communities criticize the Israeli government for the lack of initiative, especially when compared with the extent it went to raise awareness and ultimately free IDF soldier Gilad Shalit who was held by Hamas from 2006-2011.

Avera's case is nearly identical to that of Hisham al-Sayed, a Bedouin Arab Israeli citizen who was similarly exempted from mandatory IDF service due to mental illness. He had reportedly ventured into the West Bank numerous times, being arrested by Palestinian authorities before being returned to Israel. In 2015, like Avera, he wandered alone into Gaza & disappeared.

Hisham is also expected to be released soon as part of the ceasefire deal.

THREAD: Some notes on Avera Mengistu

Avera Mengistu, 38, is an Ethiopian born Israeli civilian held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since 2014. He has a history of mental illness that exempted him from IDF service.

In Sept 2014, he scaled the wall separating Israel from Gaza, and crossed into Gaza. He is believed to have been kidnapped afterwards.

With the ceasefire, he is reportedly set for release soon.

@ohmu it's NEVER an intrusion. Noone cares, so we're happy to have people butt in when we're on these topics 😁

@JoshPaul you should consider giving Bluesky a shot

According to the Nation newspaper, Abdullahi actually phoned his daughter a day before the video release to tell her that he was alive, and that she'd see evidence soon.

Nine years later, the town of El Adde and much of southern Somalia remains in Al Shabab hands, making a rescue very complex and unlikely.

Could the sudden publishing of fresh footage signal a desire to engage in prisoner exchange talks?

https://nation.africa/kenya/counties/uasin-gishu/kin-believe-kdf-soldier-abducted-by-al-shabaab-presumed-dead-is-alive-after-seeing-video-4891664

In response to the unexpected release of footage showing Abdullahi alive, his daughter took to Kenyan media to plead for assistance in rescuing her father, detailing here in English, the toll that the last nine years has taken on her family. She explained that the Kenyan military has looked after the family over the course of the past nine years, with Abdullahi presumed dead.

Source: NTV.

Known as the worst day in the history of the Kenyan military, Kenyan troops, part of an African Union peacekeeping contingent in Somalia, were attacked at their base in the town of El Adde in southwestern Somalia, on January 15th 2016. Badly prepared Kenyan troops suffered 100-200 dead, and Al Shabab later released a high quality video production documenting the attack.

The video of Abdullahi was released on the 9th anniversary of the El Adde raid.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-35658500

Surprising news out of Somalia: Al Shabab have released a video depicting Abdullahi Issa Ibrahim, a Kenyan soldier who was captured by the militants during the 2016 El Adde battle. That battle saw Al Shabab raid a Kenyan base in the Somali town of El Adde, and badly prepared Kenyan soldiers suffered huge losses.

Abdullahi's family had long assumed him dead. Now aged 61, he surfaces on an undated clip pleading the Kenyan government for his rescue.

It is unclear what Al Shabab's intentions are.

@Meron well...tell him if he can name and shame whoever received that 10 million birr bribe...maybe he can get some time reduced on his sentence :)

@RobertoArchimboldi They are absolutely amazing. But yeah, for now they are more active on X than anywhere else.

@ohmu @ditol I'll urge her to be more active :) she has replied in this thread

@NWengrov Stay safe tomorrow! I too can't wait to see footage of hostage family reunions very soon. Hope this holds.

@mayintoronto Yup! Fingers crossed that this is the end

Groundbreaking. Reuters are reporting that a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas has been secured. Could Gaza finally see an end to the onslaught?

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/gaza-ceasefire-appears-close-us-egyptian-leaders-put-focus-coming-hours-2025-01-14/