ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A Florida family is calling on U.S. officials to intervene in the case of 16-year-old Palestinian-American Mohammed Ibrahim, who has been detained in an Israeli prison for eight months.
The family’s plea comes as they continue to mourn the beating death of his cousin, 20-year-old Sayfollah Musallet, earlier this year in the West Bank.
Mohammed, from Palm Bay, Florida, was visiting relatives in the West Bank with his parents when Israeli soldiers arrested him in February. He was 15 at the time and accused of throwing stones at Israeli settlers—an offense that carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
His relatives insist there is little evidence against him. According to an affidavit shared by his family, Mohammed told his lawyer that he was beaten with rifle butts during his arrest and later threatened by interrogators until he confessed out of fear.
“Out of sheer fear, I ultimately confessed,” the affidavit quoted Mohammed as saying.
Since his detention, Mohammed’s parents have been barred from visiting him. Reports relayed through the U.S. Embassy in Israel suggest he has lost weight and contracted a scabies infection in prison. The family says his mental and physical health are deteriorating.
More than 100 U.S. faith-based and human rights organizations have signed a joint letter urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio to press Israel for the teen’s release.
A bipartisan group of 15 senators and 12 representatives has also appealed to Rubio and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee to intervene.
“We’re praying he doesn’t become another American killed overseas,” said his uncle, Zeyad Kadur. “They’ve already buried one son. They can’t bear to lose another.”
Kadur described Mohammed’s arrest as an “abduction,” saying Israeli soldiers stormed the family home at night, blindfolded and handcuffed the teenager, and took him away in a military jeep.
At Ofer Prison, where Mohammed is currently held, former detainees and human rights groups have reported overcrowding, beatings, and inadequate food. Defense for Children International-Palestine said inmates receive meager meals and have limited access to showers.
The U.S. State Department said it is closely monitoring Mohammed’s case and communicating with Israeli authorities but declined further comment. Israel’s military and prison service have not responded to inquiries about the case.
For Mohammed’s grieving family, the silence is devastating. His cousin Sayfollah was killed by settlers in the same region just months before the arrest.
“I have to ask our leaders,” Kadur said. “If his name wasn’t Mohammed, if he wasn’t Palestinian-American, would he still be in prison?”
He added, “A 16-year-old should be at home, going to football games or learning to drive—not starving in a prison cell.”