Palestinian-American teenager, Mohammed Ibrahim, was released from Israeli detention after being held for over nine months, The Guardian reported on Thursday.
Ibrahim was arrested for throwing rocks at Israeli vehicles in February while visiting the West Bank from Florida. He was held at the Ofer military prison until his release, reportedly after pleading guilty to the offense.
Ibrahim’s uncle released a statement expressing the “immense relief” the family felt upon Ibrahim’s return to the US, describing the wait for his release as “horrific.” Ibrahim
Ibrahim reportedly lost significant weight and developed a skin infection during his captivity, and was brought to a hospital for treatment shortly after he arrived in Florida.
Advocacy for Ibrahim's release
Ibrahim's family and numerous others strongly advocated on his behalf, with over 100 human rights, civil rights, and faith-based organizations writing a letter to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling for Ibrahim's release.
Additionally, in October, 27 Democratic members of Congress wrote a letter to Rubio calling for increased efforts to secure the teen's return.
In September, the United States Department of State assigned a dedicated official to Ibrahim’s case due to his American citizenship, according to The Guardian.
“Whenever a US citizen is detained abroad, the department works to provide all appropriate consular assistance,” a State Department spokesperson told The Jerusalem Post in September.
Mathilda Heller contributed to this report.