Florida family fights to bring teen home from Israeli prison: “An American is an American"
Florida teen still held in Israeli prison
A Florida family is hoping the Secretary of State will free their 16-year-old son who is being held in an Israeli prison after he was accused of throwing rocks at Israeli settlers in the West Bank. FOX 13’s Kellie Cowan reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - U.S. citizen Mohammed Ibrahim, a Florida teenager, has been held in Israeli prisons for eight months as his family warns his health is deteriorating.
What we know:
Mohammed Zaher Ibrahim was born in Florida and is a U.S. citizen who was arrested by Israeli forces in February 2025 during an overnight raid at his family's West Bank home.
He is accused of throwing rocks at Israeli vehicles, but U.S. lawmakers say no public evidence has been presented to support the claim.
While U.S. embassy staff have reportedly conducted welfare visits, Ibrahim’s family says he has been denied all other contact with the outside world and that his hearings continue to be postponed.
According to reports from the US Embassy shared with his family, Ibrahim, who was just 15 years old when he was arrested, has lost a concerning amount of weight and suffered a scabies infection while in prison. Lawmakers, also former detainees, report the teen showed signs of torture.
The full letter can be read here.
Ibrahim is the first cousin of Saif Musallet, the Tampa ice cream shop owner who was beaten to death by Israeli settlers while visiting family in the West Bank in July.
What we don't know:
The Israeli government has not disclosed the legal basis for Ibrahim’s continued detention or the evidence behind the charges. It remains unclear whether he has access to adequate medical care or legal representation consistent with international standards for minors.
Timeline:
February 16, 2025: Mohammed Zaher Ibrahim, age 15, was arrested.
- July 2025: Musallet, age 20, was reportedly murdered by Israeli settlers while visiting relatives in the West Bank.
- October 13-14: Israel released nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees as part of phase one in the U.S. ceasefire deal. Ibrahim is not among those released.
- October 21, 2025: Letter sent by U.S. lawmakers to Secretary Rubio and Ambassador Huckabee urging intervention on Ibrahim’s behalf.
The backstory:
Ibrahim is believed to be the only U.S. child currently held in Israeli detention. His family had hoped he would be among more than 2,000 prisoners released earlier this month in a deal between Israel and Hamas, but he was not included.
The letter from lawmakers references reports from Israel’s own Supreme Court, which found that Palestinian detainees have been deprived of minimum dietary and medical standards, raising broader concerns about the treatment of minors.
What they're saying:
In an interview with the Associated Press, Zeyad Kadur, Ibrahim’s uncle, has urged U.S. officials to do more:
"We’ve been advocating, pointing, asking them to interfere more or apply some type of pressure because this kid is not a soldier, and he’s not even an adult, he’s a minor and in our eyes, as a family, we also believe he’s a hostage because a 15-year-old taken from his bedroom at gunpoint, blindfolded and handcuffed doesn’t describe the word prisoners."
He added that his nephew’s case reflects a deeper problem of unequal treatment and attention.
"There is a double standard because if their names weren’t Sayfolla, if their names were not Mohammed’s, you know, if their names were David or Goldberg or Goldstein, you would see more media coverage and you would see more outrage. But the fact that they’re Palestinian-Americans and not getting any kind of help, and no one’s being held accountable, and the level of impunity to these Israeli snipers or the Israeli settlers, it's just another issue that we're dealing with as a people.
Kadur appealed directly to U.S. officials to act.
"This kid is an American and he’s a minor and he’s a child and their family already lost one American. So you know, please do your job first of all. Second of all, don’t differentiate between people’s DNA. An American is an American.
"We've already buried one child and we're praying that Mohammed comes home doesn't join that club of the other Americans who were killed in the West Bank."
Why you should care:
The case underscores questions about how the United States protects citizens detained abroad and the legal protections afforded to minors in foreign military custody. It also highlights concerns about consistency in diplomatic responses when U.S. citizens of different backgrounds are involved.
What's next:
The letter asks Secretary Rubio and Ambassador Huckabee to provide a response by November 3 outlining steps taken to secure Ibrahim’s release and ensure his safety. Human-rights advocates say they will continue to monitor his health and the conditions of his detention.
The Source: Primary information comes from reporting by the Associated Press, an interview given by Zeyad Kadur, Ibrahim’s uncle, public statements made by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, and the congressional letter dated October 21, 2025, addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Huckabee.