ORLANDO, Fla. – A Palm Bay teenager is back home after spending nearly nine months in an Israeli jail, where advocates say he was physically and psychologically abused.Â
Sixteen-year-old Mohammed Ibrahim, was reunited with his family this week, running into his father’s arms in an emotional homecoming after his release from custody.Â
The backstory:
Ibrahim was arrested at age 15 while on vacation in the West Bank, accused by Israeli authorities of throwing stones at a vehicle.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations called his return “a blessing” but said it does not erase the “torture and suffering he endured,” alleging he was beaten, starved and left terrified while behind bars.Â
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Family members say Ibrahim lost at least 25 pounds during his detention and was taken to a hospital for evaluation upon returning home. His relatives are requesting privacy but thanked supporters who helped draw attention to his case.
What they’re saying:
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, D-MD, posted a video less than a week ago, pleading for the Florida teenager’s release.
“Right now, he is sitting in a jail, he has been beaten, he has been abused,” he said. “This is an American kid, so you would think we would be doing everything possible to secure his release, but they’re not.”
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He and more than two dozen Democratic lawmakers wrote a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, urging his release.
On Friday, he shared in a post on X that, “16-year-old American Mohammed Ibrahim has been released after over 9 months in an Israeli prison without trial. I was relieved to hear from his family today and to know that he’s safe and where he belongs — with his family.”
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, D-MD, family members of Mohammed Ibrahim.
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