The video released by the Gaza-based Hamas terrorist organization which purports to feature a video message from an Israeli man taken captive in 2014 is likely authentic, the Israeli military believes, though the man’s family is uncertain if the person featured in the video is actually their son.
On Monday, Hamas released a 45-second video, which included 10 seconds of footage of a man purportedly Avera Mengistu, the mentally ill Israeli man who was abducted by Hamas terrorists in September 2014, after he scaled a security barrier and entered the Gaza Strip.
"I am the prisoner Avera Mengistu, how long will I be here? My friends and I are in captivity after many years. Where is the state and the people of Israel to free us?"
In an interview with Radio 103FM Tuesday morning, IDF spokesperson Ran Kochav said the army believes the undated video to be authentic, but emphasized that Mengistu’s family cannot tell whether the man seen in the video is in fact Avera.
“For hours now, the entire security establishment has been scrutinizing the credibility of this video.”
“We estimate the video has a reasonable level of credibility, that’s the way I’ll put it. The family very much wants to believe that it is him, but it is hard for them to identify him in the video. I cannot confirm or deny the validity of the video since we don’t know for sure.”
When asked whether Mengistu is still alive, Kochav answered: “I think that it is possible to answer that question in the affirmative.”
Immediately after the video’s release by Hamas’ Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades Monday afternoon, Yalo Mengistu, Avera's brother, said he was uncertain if the video is actually of his brother.
"My heart says it's him but my head is still not sure. On the one hand it looks like him, on the other hand it doesn't look like him."