Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the family of Hamas hostage Avera Mengistu. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

JNS.org – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the family of Avera Mengistu in Ashkelon on Friday, a day after it was revealed that Mengistu, a 28-year-old Israeli of Ethiopian descent, is being held hostage by the Hamas terrorist group in Gaza since crossing the border fence last September.

After meeting with the family for more than an hour, Netanyahu said, “We are doing everything in our ability to return Avera to Israel, just as we are in contact with the family of the other Israeli citizen (a Bedouin whose identity is still under a gag order) in order to bring him back to Israel as well. We face a very cynical and cruel enemy that denies the basic humanitarian obligation to send innocent citizens back to their country. We will not slacken, and we will do everything necessary in order to bring these citizens back home.”