Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met on Tuesday with the family of Avera Mengistu, an Israeli man whom Hamas has held captive in the Gaza Strip since 2014, his office said.
The meeting with Mengistu’s family on Tuesday at the prime minister’s office in Jerusalem followed a summit Bennett held the day before in Sharm el Sheikh with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, at which the two discussed indirect talks between Israel and Hamas. as for the Israeli captives who remain in Gaza.
However, the prime minister’s office hinted that the meeting was not an indication of great progress, saying it was “part of the regular update meetings the prime minister holds with the families of the captives.” .
Also present at the Mengistu meeting were National Security Adviser Eyal Hulta, Military Secretary, Major General Avi Gil, and the main person in government on the issue of captives, Yaron Blum. Kan’s public channel reported Monday that Blum had attended Monday’s summit with Sissi, although his name was left out of official statements about the visit.
“The prime minister told the Mengistu family that he is committed to returning detained soldiers and civilians to the Gaza Strip and that his door is always open to them,” Bennett’s office said.
Two Israeli civilians – Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed – are being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, as well as the remains of two Israeli Defense Forces soldiers who died during the 2014 Gaza war, Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul.
Clockwise from top left: Oron Shaul, Avera Mengistu, Hadar Goldin and Hisham al-Sayed. (Flash 90 / Courtesy)
The PMO did not immediately say whether Bennett planned to reunite with Al-Sayed’s family as well or the Goldin and Shauls.
Following the devastating May conflict between Israel and terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip, Jerusalem has made efforts to rebuild the enclave contingent on the return of Israeli captives.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett (L) and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi meet on Monday, September 13, 2021 in Sharm el-Sheikh (Credit: Egyptian Presidency)
Meanwhile, Hamas has stated that it will only release the captives in exchange for a large-scale release of Palestinian prisoners, which Israel has flatly refused to do.
In 2011, Israel released more than 1,000 security prisoners, some of whom were behind deadly terrorist attacks, in exchange for the release of Gilad Shalit, an IDF soldier whom Hamas had captured on the Gaza border five years ago. before. The agreement was harshly criticized at the time, including by Bennett, and as several of the released prisoners resumed terrorist activities, it has continued to be a deeply controversial issue in Israeli society.