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Washington, DC – Mohammed Ibrahim is conscionable a mean kid who loves his household and likes photography, his relatives say.
But the Palestinian American teenager spent his 16th day this past March successful an Israeli jail, contempt protests pleading for his release.
His father, Zaher Ibrahim, believes the United States authorities tin escaped Mohammed and extremity his ordeal with a azygous telephone call, fixed the billions of dollars successful subject assistance it sends Israel each year.
“But we’re thing to them,” Zaher told Al Jazeera connected Wednesday.
Zaher and different household members said that, portion imprisoned, Mohammed has been losing value and suffering from a tegument infection. While US officials person visited the teenager, Israeli authorities person different denied him interaction with the extracurricular world.
The teenager’s household — based successful Florida and the West Bank — warned that his beingness whitethorn beryllium astatine risk, and they are calling connected the US to unafraid his release.
The lawsuit has been gaining attention successful caller weeks, with Congress members and rights groups urging Trump to propulsion for Mohammed’s freedom.
‘An American child’
On Tuesday, much than 100 advocacy groups — including the Council connected American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), IfNotNow, A New Policy and Pax Christi USA — sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling for Mohammed’s release.
“For 6 months, the Israeli subject has unjustly imprisoned Mohammed, a child, without a trial, forcing his parents to unrecorded a non-stop nightmare. Israel has not allowed Mohammed’s parents to interaction him since helium was taken,” the missive said.
“Mohammed is an American kid with a assemblage successful Florida who cares astir him deeply. It is the work of the US authorities to support each American children, including Palestinian-Americans.”
Israeli soldiers raided Mohammed’s household location successful the West Bank successful February. According to relatives, Mohammed was visiting from Florida for vacation, but the troops blindfolded him and arrested him.
He was aboriginal charged with throwing stones astatine Israeli settlers, an accusation that helium denies.
Since his arrest, his relatives accidental helium has mislaid astir a 4th of his assemblage weight. He has besides contracted scabies, a tegument corruption that causes utmost itching and rashes crossed the body. US officials, they say, connection them updates astir his condition.
“It’s hard,” Ibrahim told Al Jazeera. “When you beryllium to person your meal, you think: Did helium get his repast today?”
Even a US typical from a territory adjacent Mohammed’s Florida location has gotten progressive successful the propulsion for his freedom. On Tuesday, Congresswoman Kathy Castor, who represents an country that includes the metropolis of Tampa, called for his harmless release.
“I impulse the Trump Administration to bash everything successful its powerfulness to get the merchandise of Mohammed Ibrahim — a child, an American national and a Floridian,” Castor said successful a statement, without mentioning Israel.
My connection connected the detention of Mohammed Zaher Ibrahim: pic.twitter.com/CjZiKJd3ub
— U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (@USRepKCastor) August 26, 2025
Mohammed is the relative of 20-year-old Sayfollah Musallet, an American national who was beaten to decease by Israeli settlers successful July.
Zaher told Al Jazeera that 2 Democratic senators, Chris Van Hollen and Jeff Merkley, met with Mohammed and Sayfollah’s families connected Tuesday.
Khamis Ayyad, a US national and begetter of five, was besides killed successful a settler onslaught successful the West Bank successful July.
Since 2022, Israeli soldiers and settlers have killed astatine slightest 10 US citizens. None of the cases person resulted successful transgression charges.
‘Where is our protection?’
Mohammed’s relatives person expressed dismay astatine the US government’s seeming unwillingness to support its citizens from Israel.
Zeyad Kadur, Mohammed’s uncle, drew a opposition betwixt the teenager’s ongoing detention and the lawsuit of Israeli authoritative Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, who was released connected enslaved successful the US and allowed to permission the state contempt facing superior kid enactment crimes.
“Mohammed is accused of allegedly throwing a rock; an Israeli was arrested connected paedophile charges successful Las Vegas, and helium flew backmost to Israel,” Kadur told Al Jazeera.
“Why does that treble modular request to beryllium there, adjacent erstwhile a kid is involved?”
The US Department of State has declined to remark successful item connected Mohammed’s case, citing privateness concerns.
On Wednesday, arsenic Rubio met with his counterpart Gideon Saar successful Washington, DC, a writer asked him astir Mohammed’s case. The apical US diplomat did not answer.
For her part, Leali Shalabi, Mohammed’s cousin, said the US government’s unconditional support for Israel astatine the disbursal of its ain citizens should beryllium a “wake-up call” for Americans crossed the country.
She besides questioned Trump’s “America First” motto, saying that his backing of Israel undermines US interests.
“When it’s radical who look similar us, we’re not being enactment first,” Shalabi told Al Jazeera.
As Israel carries retired a subject battle successful Gaza that starring rights groups person described arsenic a genocide, its troops person besides been stepping up their attacks successful the West Bank. Settler unit has besides been connected the emergence successful the territory.
The cases of Mohammed and his cousin Sayfollah amusement that US citizens are not spared, their families say.
“We clasp this passport. We wage our taxes. But wherever is our protection?” Shalabi said.
English (US) ·