A Palestinian-American teenager, held in Israeli detention for nine months without charge, has been released.
Mohammed Ibrahim, 15 at the time of his arrest in February, was visiting the Israeli-occupied West Bank from Florida when he was detained. He was accused of throwing stones at Jewish settlers, allegations he has denied.
The U.S. State Department has acknowledged and welcomed Mr. Ibrahim’s release.
The BBC has reached out to Israeli authorities for comment but has yet to receive a response.
Relatives report that Mohammed, now 16, was immediately taken to a hospital for medical treatment following his release. They described him to media outlets as pale, underweight, and suffering from conditions allegedly contracted while in custody.
In a statement, Mohammed’s uncle, Zeyad Kadur, expressed the family’s “immense relief,” stating they had endured “a horrific and endless nightmare” during the past nine months.
“Right now, we are focused on getting Mohammed the immediate medical attention he needs after being subjected to Israel’s abuse and inhumane conditions for months. We just want Mohammed to be healthy and to have his childhood back,” Mr. Kadur stated.
He further added, “Israeli soldiers had no right to take Mohammed from us in the first place.”
The State Department affirmed that they would continue to provide consular support to Mohammed’s family, reiterating that the “Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens.”
Earlier in the week, Mohammed’s father, Zahar Ibrahim, voiced his frustration to the BBC, stating that the U.S. government was not doing enough to secure his son’s release.
Twenty-seven U.S. lawmakers had previously signed a letter addressed to the State Department and President Donald Trump, urging further action to secure Mohammed’s freedom.
Mr. Ibrahim, a father of four who owns an ice cream business in Florida, previously alleged that his son’s confession to throwing stones was coerced through beatings by Israeli soldiers.
He had not seen or spoken to Mohammed since February, relying on court documents to learn about his son’s experiences in detention.
Mohammed was held without charge at Ofer prison in the West Bank, which also houses adult prisoners, including some convicted of serious terrorism offenses and murder.
According to the Israeli Prison Service, there are approximately 350 Palestinian child security detainees in Israeli jails.
Numerous human rights organizations, as well as the United Nations, have reported that many of these detainees have never been formally charged and have allegedly suffered abuse and torture.
Following Mohammed’s release, Mr. Kadur stated that the family would also continue to pursue justice for his cousin, Sayfollah Musallet, a 20-year-old dual U.S. citizen who the Palestinian health ministry reported was beaten to death by Israeli settlers during a confrontation in July.
At the time, the Israeli military stated that authorities were investigating reports of a Palestinian civilian’s death.
Mohammed and Sayfollah had both worked at the family’s ice cream shop in Tampa, Florida. No arrests have been made in connection with Sayfollah’s death.
“We expect the American government to protect our families,” Mr. Kadur concluded.
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Mohammed Ibrahim, 16, from Florida, was detained by Israeli soldiers while on holiday in the occupied West Bank.
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