BICOM

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday said that he expects the international community to demand the return of two missing Israelis in the Gaza Strip, after a gag order was lifted yesterday which allowed the story to be made public.

It was revealed yesterday that two Israeli men had entered Gaza of their own volition. One was named as 28-year-old Avera Mengistu, from Ashkelon which is just miles from Gaza. Mengistu crossed the border near Zikim Beach in September last year. The other is an unnamed Bedouin man from Hura in southern Israel, who entered Gaza in April. Both are thought to suffer from psychological problems.

The two cases were kept away from the public domain to allow Israeli officials to more easily try to secure the return of the men. Netanyahu made clear yesterday that, “We are working to secure the release of both Israelis who crossed the border fence into Gaza. We see Hamas as responsible for their wellbeing.” He added, “I expect the same international community that expresses its concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza to issue a clear call to release these civilians and make sure they return.”

Hamas has said that it interrogated Mengistu but then released him and claim that he is now in Egypt. However, Israel’s Defence Ministry said yesterday that “according to credible intelligence,” Mengistu “is being held against his will by Hamas in Gaza.” Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon added that both men are being “held by Hamas.” In Maariv this morning, Alon Ben-David calls the Hamas denial worrying as it does not generally “disassociate itself from what it perceives as an asset.”

The disappearance of the two men has also reignited debate over prisoner swaps with terror groups. In 2011, although under different circumstances, Israel released more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit. Israeli defence officials are quoted in Ynet, Israel Hayom and Haaretz insisting that another exchange will not take place.