American-Palestinian Teenager Freed After Nine Months in Israel's Imprisonment
Zaher Ibrahim
A American-Palestinian youth who spent nine months in Israel's custody without charge gained freedom.
Mohammed Ibrahim had just turned 15 at the time of his arrest in February throughout the West Bank territory, while he was vacationing while residing in Florida for allegedly throwing stones at Jewish settlers, claims he consistently denied.
United States authorities said it welcomed the teenager's freedom.
Mohammed, now 16, required hospitalization upon gaining freedom, relatives told the media.
Family described him as showing signs of malnutrition, and is suffering from conditions developed during imprisonment.
Via family representatives, family spokesperson expressed the family's "overwhelming sense of relief".
Family member Zeyad Kadur described how relatives endured "enduring a dreadful, continuous nightmare" over the last nine months.
"Currently, our priority is getting Mohammed urgent medical care necessary for his recovery after being subjected to harsh conditions and brutal treatment over several months."
The state department said it would continue to extend consular services for the Ibrahim family.
{"The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of US citizens"," it added.
Several congressional representatives endorsed a document to US authorities and the White House, urging greater action to release him.
Mr Ibrahim, with four children operating an ice cream shop from Florida, previously claimed his son only confessed to throwing stones because the soldiers beat him.
There were no visits or spoken to Mohammed since the arrest, learning information solely what had happened to him through judicial records.
Mohammed was held without charge at Ofer detention facility throughout the occupied territory.
The facility also contains grown detainees, featuring prisoners sentenced for major terrorist activities and homicide.
An estimated 350 Palestinian minors in security custody detained within Israeli facilities, based on prison authority data.
Many have never been charged along with monitoring agencies, including UN bodies, document cases involving abuse and torture.
After the teenager's freedom, family representatives announced they would maintain their efforts seeking justice for their relative their cousin Sayfollah.
The dual national youth per medical officials died from beating by Israeli settlers during a confrontation last July.
Initially, the Israeli military said authorities were looking into accounts of a Palestinian was deceased.
Both young men were employed together at their family's ice cream business from Tampa.
No indictments occurred regarding Sayfollah's death.
"We anticipate United States leadership to protect our families," Mr Kadur said.
