Israeli authorities said Thursday two Israeli citizens are being held in the Gaza Strip, at least one of them by the Hamas militant group. 
 
 Avraham Mangisto crossed the border fence into the Gaza Strip on Sept. 7 last year, almost two weeks after the end of the bloody Israel-Gaza war, the Israeli defense body responsible for Palestinian affairs said. 
 
 The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories said that “according to credible intelligence,” Mangisto is being held “against his will” by Hamas. It said “Israel has appealed (to) international and regional interlocutors to demand his immediate release and verify his well-being.” 
 
 A spokesman for Hamas, Salah Bardawil, declined to comment on the matter. “We don't have any information about it. Even if is true, we don't have instructions to talk about it," he said. 
 
 Israel’s military lifted a gag order Thursday to disclose the details of the matter. It’s unclear why they waited months after incident to do so. 
 
 COGAT said the second Israel citizen being held in Gaza is an Arab citizen of Israel. Officials have not provided further information. 
 
 Mengisto, according to Israel media, is a 28-year-old Ethiopian-Israeli. He arrived at an Israel beach on the Gaza border the evening of Sept. 7, left behind his bag and crossed into Gaza through a breach in the border fence apparently left from movement of Israeli tanks during the war. Mengisto is reportedly from the city of Ashkelon. 
 
 Israeli Channel 2 TV said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been in touch with Mengisto's parents and that Lior Lotan, a retired Israeli army colonel, was handling negotiations to return Mengisto to Israel. The family had been instructed not to speak publicly about the matter, media said, but that news of Mengisto being held in Gaza had spread through Israel's Ethiopian immigrant community. 
 
 Israeli Channel 10 broadcast an interview with a man it identified as Mengisto's father, holding up a statement critical of Israeli authorities. 
 
 "They didn't do anything," Haili Mangisto said. "Where is my son?" 
 
 The Associated Press contributed to this report ||||| JERUSALEM (AP) — The latest on the news of two Israeli citizens being held in Gaza (all times local) : 
 
 In this Saturday, June 20, 2015 photo, Israelis rest by the beach near Kibbutz Zikim, on the Israel-Gaza border. Israeli defense officials say two Israeli citizens are being held in the Gaza Strip. The... (Associated Press) 
 
 ___ 
 
 2 p.m. 
 
 The hometown mayor of an Israeli being held in Gaza says the family has suffered but shown restraint throughout the months-long ordeal. 
 
 Itamar Shimoni, the mayor of Ashkelon, said Thursday that the family of Avraham Mangisto is not a family that will go out demonstrating. He said the family of five brothers "has been hurting for several months now" and that "it's not easy." He said local authorities are supporting the family. 
 
 Authorities say Mangisto walked through a breach in the border fence between Israel and Gaza last September and is believed to be held by the militant group Hamas, which rules the territory. It's not clear why he crossed into Gaza. 
 
 ___ 
 
 1:30 p.m. 
 
 A brother of an Israeli citizen held in the Gaza Strip is calling on the international community to exert pressure to lead to his release. 
 
 Ilan Mangisto said at a news conference Thursday that his brother Avraham Mangisto is not in the best of health. He called the situation "a difficult humanitarian matter." 
 
 Ilan Mangisto did not elaborate on the health issue, but Israeli Channel 2 TV cited the family as saying that Avraham Mangisto was depressed following the death of his brother. 
 
 Authorities say Avraham Mangisto walked through a breach in the border fence between Israel and Gaza last September and is believed to be held by the militant group Hamas, which rules the territory. 
 
 ___ 
 
 12:30 p.m. 
 
 Israeli defense officials say an Arab-Israeli citizen being held in the Gaza Strip is a Bedouin man from Israel's Negev desert. 
 
 Officials refused to say how long he has been held in Gaza or how he got there. They also would not say which group had him in custody. 
 
 Bedouin make up a small group within Israel's Arab minority, numbering about 180,000. 
 
 Israeli authorities said Thursday that two of its citizens are being held in the Gaza Strip. The other is an Israeli Ethiopian man who crossed into the Palestinian territory last September and is believed held by the Hamas militant group which rules Gaza. ||||| Story highlights Israel is freeing 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit 
 
 Hamas later handed Shalit to Egyptian forces, he later crossed into Israel 
 
 Deal enjoys support in Israel, but there is debate about number of Palestinians being freed 
 
 Palestinians welcome prospect of so many prisoners being released 
 
 Israel is freeing more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, including hundreds serving life sentences for attacks on Israelis, in exchange for Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit who was captured by Hamas in 2006. How and why has the controversial deal come about? 
 
 Why is Shalit considered important enough by the Israelis to be exchanged for so many Palestinian prisoners? 
 
 Militants captured the young sergeant in June 2006 after tunneling into the Jewish state and attacking an Israeli army outpost. Israel immediately launched a military incursion into Gaza to rescue Shalit, then 19, but failed to free him. 
 
 As the Israeli attacks continued, the Palestinians death toll steadily grew -- hundreds killed, many militants, but also, according to Palestinian sources, innocent men women and children. 
 
 Shalit's captors, affiliated with the Islamic Hamas government, demanded a prisoner swap, but the Israeli government said no -- at least in public. 
 
 Until Tuesday, when Shalit was freed and returned to Israel, he was held incommunicado by Hamas, which controls Gaza. 
 
 Efforts to free him became a rallying cry for thousands of Israelis who urged the government to secure his release. Shalit's supporters feared that if a deal was not reached, his fate could have become similar to that of Israeli Air Force Navigator Ron Arad, who crashed his warplane in Lebanon 25 years ago. He was captured by a local Shiite Amal militia and later handed over to Hezbollah, Shiite militants strongly influenced by Iran and now in de facto control of Lebanon. 
 
 Despite reported attempts to negotiate his return, Israel failed to free Arad and the trail went cold. Over the years he became a symbol of the failure of successive Israeli governments to strike a deal that would bring him back alive. In June 2008 Hezbollah announced Arad was dead. 
 
 JUST WATCHED Prisoner swap deal stirs up debate Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Prisoner swap deal stirs up debate 04:28 
 
 JUST WATCHED Gaza prepares to receive prisoners Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Gaza prepares to receive prisoners 01:39 
 
 JUST WATCHED Outrage over prisoner exchange Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Outrage over prisoner exchange 02:24 
 
 JUST WATCHED Gilad Shalit to be freed Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Gilad Shalit to be freed 03:01 
 
 Who are the Palestinians being freed by Israel? 
 
 Israel Monday announced it would release 1,027 prisoners and it identified the first 477 to be freed Tuesday. The group includes two prominent female prisoners: Ahlam Tamimi, serving life terms for being an accomplice in the 2001 bombing of a Sbarro pizza restaurant that killed 15 people; and Amneh Muna, who plotted the killing of a 16-year-old Israeli boy in 2001 and received a life sentence. Twenty-five other women will also be freed. 
 
 The most notable name not on the list is that of jailed Palestinian lawmaker Marwan Barghouti, who is serving five life sentences for murder and other charges related to his role in planning attacks on Israelis during the second Intifada. 
 
 He had been considered by many Palestinians the most important prisoner who might have been released in exchange for Shalit. 
 
 How is the handover taking place? 
 
 The first swap took place Tuesday, with a second stage scheduled for later this year. Israel freed 477 Palestinian inmates from Israeli jails shortly before Shalit was released, the first group of a batch of more than 1,000 Palestinians being swapped for Shalit's freedom. 
 
 Freed prisoners praised Egypt's role as a mediator in interviews on Palestinian television after they were released. 
 
 Some are being sent to the West Bank and others to Gaza, while just under half are being sent abroad. A handful are going to homes in Jerusalem, elsewhere in Israel or to Jordan. 
 
 Once freed, they will be under various restrictions on a case-by-case basis: Some will not be allowed to leave the country, while others will have restrictions on their movement or be required to report their whereabouts to local police according to Justice Ministry spokesman Moshe Cohen. 
 
 Hamas later handed Shalit over to Egyptian security forces, and he later crossed into Israel. Egyptian television showed a short clip of Shalit walking unaided with an escort of about half a dozen people soon after his release was announced. He looked thin and dazed, wearing a dark baseball cap and collared shirt. 
 
 Shalit will undergo medical tests and debriefing at an air force base, the Israeli military said. Once that is complete, he will be flown to his home at Mitzpe Hila, north of Haifa. 
 
 Why is this happening now? 
 
 JUST WATCHED Mixed emotions on Israel, Hamas deal Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Mixed emotions on Israel, Hamas deal 01:56 
 
 Speaking to his Cabinet this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that with so much change sweeping the region, he did not know whether a better deal for Shalit was possible, and warned that he didn't act during this window of opportunity, it could close indefinitely. 
 
 It represented a vast change in outlook and rhetoric for the combative prime minister, who seems to have calculated that a softer approach was the more politically expedient road to follow. 
 
 Whether it was the prospect of going down in history as the Israeli leader who missed the chance to free Shalit, the calculation of larger geopolitical changes in the region, or a mere reflection of public sentiment, Netanyahu has chosen a path that has taken him away from much of what he has spent decades preaching. 
 
 The Hamas rulers of Gaza also felt pressure to make the deal now. The rival Palestinian Authority that governs parts of the West Bank is enjoying increased popularity following its recent United Nations bid for recognition of an independent state and a large scale prisoner release was seen by many in Hamas as a way of seizing back the political initiative. Hamas is also contemplating moving its headquarters out of Damascus and concluding the Shalit deal would make it easier to negotiate a possible relocation to Cairo with the post-Mubarak Egyptian government. 
 
 What is the reaction in Israel and the Palestinian territories? 
 
 The deal to free Shalit was backed by a commanding Israeli Cabinet majority of 26-3 and enjoys wide support from the Israeli public, but there was extensive debate about whether so many Palestinian prisoners should be freed. 
 
 Families of victims of terror, as well as some members of the Israeli government, have expressed fierce opposition to the deal. One minister who voted against the agreement called it "a great victory for terrorism," and there are fears that the release of convicted murderers will lead to further attacks on Israeli civilians -- a fear that, critics say, is borne out by statistics. According to the Israeli association of terror victims, Almagor, 180 Israelis have lost their lives to terrorists freed in previous deals since 2000. 
 
 For Palestinians the issue of prisoners in Israeli prisons cuts deep. For several decades human rights groups estimate that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have spent time in Israeli prisons for a wide range of alleged crimes. In many cases Palestinians face incarceration without any formal charges, and children under the age of 18 are frequently detained for offenses like rock-throwing. Most Palestinians see these inmates and those convicted of violent crimes against Israeli citizens as political prisoners detained within the course of an ongoing liberation struggle. 
 
 Palestinians in both the West Bank and Gaza welcomed the prospect of so many prisoners being released but there are reservations about the conditions requiring many of them to be exiled from their homeland. 
 
 One Palestinian in Ramallah told CNN, "If I was a prisoner and I am released, I need to go to my family, my country, to my city. Why send me to Turkey or Venezuela whatever -- why?" 
 
 How will this affect the peace process? 
 
 Israelis are equally split on whether "the release of terrorists" will harm Israeli security, with 50% saying Yes and 48% saying No -- a statistical deadlock given the margin of error for the number of people polled. 
 
 One expert, Ronald W. Zweig, the Taub Professor of Israel Studies at New York University, said the deal showed that both sides had made concessions. "And that is a sign of hope." 
 
 "Pessimists will point to the dangers of rewarding terror -- both the terror of those released from jail and the act of kidnapping Israelis to have future terrorists released. Cynics will ask if Israel's willingness to conclude the deal was not an attempt to punish (Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud) Abbas for pushing ahead with his policies in the U.N., despite Israeli and American opposition," Zweig wrote in a recent commentary for CNN 
 
 "But there are other considerations which give grounds for optimism. Any movement in the stalled peace process might be enough to get the wheels of this heavy cart out of the rut in which it is trapped. It appears that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a role in the final deal, perhaps indicating a return of Turkey to constructive dealing with Israel. And the fact that Israel and Hamas have talked -- albeit indirectly -- is a welcome development. Israel's 2005 withdrawal from Gaza might have had more positive long-term effect had this channel of communication been used then. 
 
 "Even more significant, the release of these prisoners removes a major obstacle from any future peace settlement between Israel and the Palestinians." ||||| Play Facebook 
 
 Twitter 
 
 Embed Avraham Mengisto's Father, Haile, Reacts to his Son's Captivity 0:25 autoplay autoplay Copy this code to your website or blog 
 
 Two Israeli citizens are being held against their will in Gaza — at least one by Hamas, Israeli officials said Thursday. 
 
 A government statement said that Avraham Mengistu, 28, independently crossed into the Gaza Strip on September 7, 2014. 
 
 "According to credible intelligence, Mengistu is being held against his will by Hamas in Gaza," the statement said, adding that Israel is demanding his immediate release after nearly a year. 
 
 The statement also referred to a second case involving an "Israeli Arab ... being held in Gaza" but did not name the individual or provide further details. 
 
 However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel holds Hamas "responsible" for the welfare of both men. 
 
 "I expect the international community, which expresses its concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, to issue a clear call for these citizens to be released and to see to their return," he said in a statement. 
 
 Related: ISIS Supporters Throw Down the Gauntlet to Hamas 
 
 Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said he was in touch with the Mengistu family and that authorities have been "working tirelessly" to resolve the "painful situation." 
 
 "This is a humanitarian issue, and we expect those holding him to behave accordingly and return him in good health," Rivlin said in a statement. "According to the information which has arisen, Mengistu is being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. We will continue to make every effort in order to bring an end to this incident, as soon as possible." 
 
 Hamas has not responded to NBC News' repeated requests for comment. 
 
 The cases were made public after Israel's military lifted a gag order Thursday and were sure to evoke memories of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who was held captive for more than five years and released in 2011 in exchange for the release of 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. 
 
 While it was not immediately clear why the gag order was lifted, the timing was significant: the fatal abduction of three Israeli teens launched the summer war in Gaza exactly one year ago. 
 
 Play Facebook 
 
 Twitter 
 
 Embed After the Truce: Gaza Conflict 101 1:38 autoplay autoplay Copy this code to your website or blog 
 
 Israeli media reported that Mengistu previously was prone to disappearing and suffered from mental illness. 
 
 His brother, Ilan, alluded to that at a press conference on Thursday, saying that Mangisto "is not healthy" and urging his release. 
 
 "I'm asking the international community to engage and use their power to free my brother," he told reporters. I call Hamas and ask them to take into consideration his health and to release him immediately." 
 
 Earlier, father Ayelin Mengistu told Israel's Channel 2 News that his son "used to go missing" for a few days at a time and was depressed after another brother's suicide. 
 
 Israeli Cabinet Minister Yaakov Peri told reporters Thursday that Israel had a "moral obligation" to secure Mengistu freedom. 
 
 "We know that Mengistu is held by the Hamas," he said. "We are holding Hamas as responsible for holding him. Israel will make every effort to bring him back." ||||| JERUSALEM — The latest on the news of two Israeli citizens being held in Gaza (all times local) : 
 
 ___ 
 
 3:50 p.m. 
 
 Israel's prime minister says the country is working to return two of its citizens said to be held in the Gaza Strip. 
 
 In a statement Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he spoke to the family of one of the men, an Israeli Ethiopian, telling them he "has not spared any effort" to return the man to Israel. He said Israel holds Hamas responsible for the men's well-being. 
 
 Netanyahu said he appointed a representative to deal with the matter and liaise with the missing men's families. 
 
 He said he expects the international community to issue a call for the men's release. 
 
 ___ 
 
 2 p.m. 
 
 The hometown mayor of an Israeli being held in Gaza says the family has suffered but shown restraint throughout the months-long ordeal. 
 
 Itamar Shimoni, the mayor of Ashkelon, said Thursday that the family of Avraham Mangisto is not a family that will go out demonstrating. He said the family of five brothers "has been hurting for several months now" and that "it's not easy." He said local authorities are supporting the family. 
 
 Authorities say Mangisto walked through a breach in the border fence between Israel and Gaza last September and is believed to be held by the militant group Hamas, which rules the territory. It's not clear why he crossed into Gaza. 
 
 ___ 
 
 1:30 p.m. 
 
 A brother of an Israeli citizen held in the Gaza Strip is calling on the international community to exert pressure to lead to his release. 
 
 Ilan Mangisto said at a news conference Thursday that his brother Avraham Mangisto is not in the best of health. He called the situation "a difficult humanitarian matter." 
 
 Ilan Mangisto did not elaborate on the health issue, but Israeli Channel 2 TV cited the family as saying that Avraham Mangisto was depressed following the death of his brother. 
 
 Authorities say Avraham Mangisto walked through a breach in the border fence between Israel and Gaza last September and is believed to be held by the militant group Hamas, which rules the territory. 
 
 ___ 
 
 12:30 p.m. 
 
 Israeli defense officials say an Arab-Israeli citizen being held in the Gaza Strip is a Bedouin man from Israel's Negev desert. 
 
 Officials refused to say how long he has been held in Gaza or how he got there. They also would not say which group had him in custody. 
 
 Bedouin make up a small group within Israel's Arab minority, numbering about 180,000. 
 
 Israeli authorities said Thursday that two of its citizens are being held in the Gaza Strip. The other is an Israeli Ethiopian man who crossed into the Palestinian territory last September and is believed held by the Hamas militant group which rules Gaza.
– Israel said today two of its citizens are being held in the Gaza Strip—and it believes Hamas has had its hands on one of them for almost a year, the AP reports. An Israeli defense unit says that "credible intelligence" shows Avraham Mangisto, said by Israeli media to be a 28-year-old Ethiopian-Israeli, is being held "against his will" by Hamas and that "Israel has appealed [to] international and regional interlocutors to demand his immediate release and verify his well-being," reports Fox News. Mangisto reportedly entered Gaza of his own accord from an Israeli beach on Sept. 7 last year, just a couple of weeks after a ceasefire was declared to end last summer's Gaza war. Israeli defense officials say an Arab-Israeli citizen is also being held, though details are scarce, the New York Times notes. The cases are drawing comparison to that of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier who was held for five years by Hamas until his release in 2011 in exchange for more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. The news of the reported captives was made public only after Israeli military officials lifted a gag order this morning, though it wasn't clear why the order was suddenly lifted, NBC News reports. Mangisto's brother Ilan spoke at a press conference this morning about what he's calling "a difficult humanitarian matter," revealing that his brother isn't doing well healthwise, reports the New York Times. "I'm asking the international community to engage and use their power to free my brother," he said, per NBC. "I ask (Hamas) to take into consideration his health and to release him immediately." Meanwhile, their father told Israel's Channel 2 that Avraham often went missing for days on end and had been depressed after another brother killed himself. A Hamas spokesman says, per Fox News, "We don't have any information about it. Even if is true, we don't have instructions to talk about it." (Israeli officials said they foiled a major Hamas terror plot in November.)