Mengistu and Shoham’s release was part of a broader deal, marking the first time hostages were freed in Rafah.
Mengistu, who was handed over alongside October 7 victim Tal Shoham, crossed into Israel and arrived at a military reception point, the IDF confirmed.
Unlike Shoham, who appeared visibly pale and underweight on Saturday's hostage handover, Mengistu was seen in relatively stable condition, retaining a similar body weight to when he was taken.
Upon his return, Mengistu was seen meeting members of his family at an IDF facility near the Gaza border.
The Ethiopian-born Israeli hostage, who spent a harrowing 3,821 days in Hamas captivity, was released in Rafah on Saturday as part of the fragile ceasefire deal.
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