Jerusalem
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An American teenager held in an Israeli jail with out trial for greater than eight months will remain in detention for at the very least one other week and a half, despite growing pressure from US lawmakers for his release.
Mohammed Ibrahim, a 16-year-old Palestinian-American from Palm Bay, Florida, was arrested by Israeli forces in February 2025 after being accused of throwing rocks at Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank. Ibrahim has advised legal professionals that he confessed to the accusations out of concern after he was overwhelmed and threatened with extra beatings.
The Israel Prison Service stated it doesn’t touch upon particular person circumstances for privateness concerns however added that it operates in accordance to the legislation and below the supervision of oversight our bodies.
A courtroom listening to on Wednesday ended with out Mohammed’s release and his subsequent listening to is scheduled for November 9.
“It’s just been hell,” his father Zaher Ibrahim advised NCS. “We never thought something like this would go on for eight months.”
Zaher stated US officers have advised him there a deal is being negotiated to safe his son’s release, but it surely has but to be finalized. Mohammad’s household had been hopeful he could be launched following Wednesday’s listening to.
“The State Department is tracking Mr. Ibrahim’s case closely and working with the government of Israel on this case,” a US State Department spokesperson advised NCS. “The Ambassador and the Embassy Jerusalem staff have been deeply involved in working on this case and continue to do so.”
Mohammed’s case was introduced to the eye of senior US officers over the summer time, after his cousin — 20-year-old American Said Musallet — was overwhelmed to dying by Israeli settlers. Zaher Ibrahim raised the case with US ambassador Mike Huckabee this summer time when Huckabee visited Musallet’s father in the West Bank.
But Zaher Ibrahim says it took months for US efforts to actually ramp up, saying he felt betrayed by his personal authorities.
“What got us to this point is the pressure of the media and lawmakers on Capitol Hill,” Zaher stated. “If it wasn’t for the pressure, I think they’d care less.”
Twenty-seven US senators and representatives wrote a letter this month calling on US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Huckabee to safe Mohammed’s “swift release,” expressing concern in regards to the alleged mistreatment he has confronted in Israeli prisons.
A lawyer for Defense for Children International – Palestine visited Mohammed in jail and reported that he had “lost a considerable amount of weight” throughout his imprisonment and suffered from scabies.
During his listening to on Wednesday, Mohammed reported abdomen ache and complications, his father stated. One of the 2 guards flanking him throughout the listening to then referred to as him a liar, in accordance to Zaher.
“It’s very hard,” Zaher stated, describing seeing his son on a courtroom monitor.
At one level, Mohammad tried to elevate his cuffed fingers to wave to his household. One of the guards slapped his hand away, his father stated.
“It’s just very, very sad,” Zaher stated, his voice cracking. “You don’t know after they take him in – you don’t know if they’re gonna hit him again.”