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A 16-year-old U.S. citizen remains in an Israeli prison after a ceasefire agreement secured the release of almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Mohammed Ibrahim was taken away from his family on February 16 and brought to an Israeli prison, his uncle Zeyad Kadur told WBUR. The teenager is accused of throwing rocks at Israeli settlers, according to the outlet. “Right now, Mohammed Ibrahim, a U.S. citizen, is being held in an Israeli prison,” Representative Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts wrote on X on October 19. “His health is deteriorating. The circumstances are desperate. The United States must use every avenue available to secure the release of this Palestinian American child.” Representative Kathy Castor of Florida said in August that she was “deeply concerned about his well-being following reports of his prolonged detention without charges or a trial.” “I urge the Trump Administration to do everything in its power to obtain the release of Mohammed Ibrahim — a child, an American citizen and a Floridian,” Castor said in a statement. Newsweek has contacted the State Department for comment. Why It Matters President Donald Trump announced on October 8 that Israel and Hamas had signed the first phase of a peace plan, a significant development in the war that began when Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Under the agreement, Israel released almost 2,000 prisoners, and Hamas released all living Israeli hostages. Kadur said Ibrahim was not among the prisoners Israel released. “Unfortunately, we were hoping he’d be part of that deal, but it didn’t happen,” Kadur told WBUR. “You know, we had high hopes.” What To Know Kadur said a group of 25 to 30 Israel Defense Forces soldiers entered the family’s home on February 16 around 3 or 4 a.m. The soldiers asked Ibrahim’s father who was inside the home and where his son was, Kadur said. The father informed the soldiers that his son was asleep, according to Kadur. “They went to the bedroom. They picked him out of his bed. They blindfolded him, handcuffed him and took him to a Jeep,” Kadur said. Ibrahim was later taken to Megiddo, which is “notoriously known for hardship and torture to the Palestinians,” Kadur said. Kadur said the family received updates only through emails from the State Department or the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem. “We were hoping there would be good news, but they’re always bad news,” Kadur said. “You know, weight loss. They didn’t tell us how much weight loss, but they were saying now he has a very low BMI. They said scabies.” What People Are Saying Representative Kathy Castor said in a statement about Mohammed Ibrahim’s detention: “The United States has a responsibility to advocate for its citizens abroad, and I respectfully urge the President and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to work for his swift release and return to his family.” Zeyad Kadur, Ibrahim’s uncle, told WBUR: “We haven’t seen Mohammed. We haven’t heard his voice. We’ve been denied visits. We’ve been denied phone calls. The U.S. State Department is unable to show us a picture of him.” What Happens Next Kadur said his family is advocating for Ibrahim daily through media, including social media, and speaking with lawmakers. Castor said on August 26 that her office had “been in touch with the administration about Mohammed’s case, and will continue pressing for his release.”
