Brother of man who crossed into Gaza says he's 'not in his right mind'

Abu Ranim is a resident of the unrecognized Beduin village Hashim-Zina in the Negev area.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Updated: JULY 14, 2016 01:02
Juma Ibrahim Abu Ranim ‏ (photo credit: Courtesy)
Juma Ibrahim Abu Ranim ‏
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Juma Ibrahim Abu Ranim, 19, has been identified as the Israeli who was spotted crossing the border into Gaza on Tuesday, it was announced on Wednesday following the lifting of a gag order.
Abu Ranim is a resident of the unrecognized Negev Beduin village of Hashim-Zina near Beersheba.
“We in the family are all heartbroken, we have no family or friends in Gaza so we have no idea what he was looking for there,” said his brother Khalid, adding that Juma was a confused and shy young man.
Khalid said that Hamas should understand that his brother is not in his right state of mind, and did what he did in order to get attention.
The event comes after two additional Israeli citizens entered the Gaza Strip and have not been heard from since.
On September 7, 2014, Avraham Mengistu, 29, from Ashkelon, crossed the security fence into the northern Gaza Strip, climbing over the barrier near the Mediterranean Coast.
Soldiers who were summoned to the scene called on Mengistu to return to Israel, but he ignored them and continued into the Hamas-run enclave, according to Israeli officials.
“According to credible intelligence, Mengistu is being held against his will by Hamas in Gaza,” said Maj.-Gen. Yoav Mordechai, the IDF coordinator of government activities in the territories.
The second Israeli currently believed to be in Gaza is Beduin Hisham al-Sayed.
His father, Sha’aban al-Sayed, stated that his son has traversed the border with Gaza twice before, and both times he had been immediately returned.
According to Sayed, his son suffers from schizophrenia.
He added that when his son crossed into the Gaza Strip in April 2015, it wasn’t the first time he had displayed such behavior.