The broadcast of this video comes against the background of indirect discussions between Israel and Hamas on an exchange of prisoners.
The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas on Monday released the video of an Israeli man it has held since 2014 in the Gaza Strip under its control, blaming the Israeli army for his detention, on the occasion of the inauguration of a new chief of staff.
The broadcast of this video comes against a backdrop of indirect discussions between Israel and Hamas on an exchange of prisoners, which the Islamist organization has threatened to put an end to in mid-December in the absence of progress.
In the undated video released Monday by Hamas’ military wing, Avera Mengistu, an Israeli of Ethiopian descent, introduces himself in Hebrew and questions the length of his captivity.
New chief for the Israeli army
“The Ezzedine al-Qassam brigades highlight the failure of the outgoing Chief of Staff (Aviv) Kochavi and his institution”, can we read in the preamble of the video of about thirty seconds broadcast on the Telegram application .
“The new chief of staff (Herzi) Halevi should prepare to bear the burden of this failure”, it is also written, in reference to the captivity of Avera Mengistu.
Herzi Halevi, hitherto number two in the Israeli army, replaced Aviv Kochavi as head of the institution on Monday. The Israeli army said it was examining the video, which “it is difficult at this stage to determine the authenticity”, a military spokesman told AFP. She hopes Avera “Mengistu is alive and well,” he said.
