A coalition of 102 advocacy, civil rights, and faith-based organizations is calling on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to act immediately to secure the release of 16-year-old Palestinian American Mohammed Zaher Ibrahim, who has been held without trial in Israel’s Ofer prison for more than six months. The groups say Mohammed’s health is deteriorating and that his continued detention violates international law.
Mohammed, a U.S. citizen from Florida, was arrested in February when Israeli forces raided his family’s home in the occupied West Bank in the middle of the night. “At four in the morning, 25 soldiers—ski masks, M-16s, you know, Jeeps, military vehicles—they came into the house. They took him out of his bedroom, blindfolded him, handcuffed him,” said his uncle, Siad Khader, during a press conference hosted by CAIR-Florida. “That was six months and 10 days ago. That was the last time anybody has seen him that knows him.”
Since his arrest, Mohammed has been transferred multiple times—first to the Moscovia detention center in Jerusalem, then to Megiddo prison inside Israel, and most recently to Ofer prison. His attorneys and family members report that he has developed scabies, has not received medication, and has lost more than 30 pounds. Embassy staff confirmed his weight loss to his father, Zaher. His family has not been allowed to visit or even speak to him by phone since the day he was taken, except for brief glimpses through a monitor during court hearings.
The allegations against Mohammed involve throwing rocks, charges that his family denies. His case has faced repeated delays in the Israeli court system, and though a decision was reportedly due in late August, no outcome has been announced.
In their August 26 letter to Secretary Rubio, the coalition stressed the urgency of the situation. “Mohammed’s health is dire and requires your immediate action to ensure Mohammed is free, safe, and with his parents—his life is on the line,” the groups wrote. The letter also called on the U.S. Department of State “to secure the immediate release of Mohammed Ibrahim from Israeli prison and protect U.S. citizens, particularly children.”
The coalition argues that Israel is violating the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits “the deportation of protected persons from an Occupied Territory to the territory of the Occupying Power.” Advocates say Mohammed’s transfer from the West Bank into prisons inside Israel is a clear breach of those protections.
CAIR-Florida deputy executive director Hiba Rahim emphasized the danger of Mohammed’s detention. “When more than 100 organisations come together, it’s because the danger is real and the harm is undeniable,” she said. “This past April, a 17-year-old boy died in one of the very prisons where Mohammed was being held for the majority of his detention. Israel has a notorious record of abusing imprisoned children, and we are deeply concerned that Mohammed’s case could end in tragedy if urgent action is not taken.”
Mohammed turned 16 while in custody. His uncle underscored what his life should look like at this age. “That 16-year-old is supposed to be down the street right now, getting his driver’s license. Summer job. With his family,” Khader said. “We just buried his first cousin. We want him home.”
The cousin he referenced, 18-year-old Palestinian American Sayfollah Musallet, was beaten to death by Israeli settlers in the West Bank in July. The Trump administration has not taken action on either Musallet’s death or Mohammed’s imprisonment, despite both being U.S. citizens.
At the Tampa press conference organized by CAIR-Florida, Mohammed’s family was joined by faith and advocacy leaders including Reverend Andy Oliver of Allendale United Methodist Church, Samuel Ronen of the Progressive Jewish Coalition of Tampa Bay, and Matt Levine of the Tampa Democratic Socialists of America. Together they called for U.S. officials to intervene.
For Zaher, Mohammed’s father, who is in the West Bank fighting for his son’s release, the outpouring of support has offered a rare sense of solidarity. “The truth is, it is a beautiful thing. It was a blessing to see all these people from different religions and with different skin colours and backgrounds coming together, like one heart, caring for each other,” he told Middle East Eye. “It’s also something good for the future. If something else happens somewhere else, no matter what the race or religion, it might be 200 or 300 organisations. It’s something good to build going forward and bring people together, and show we’re all one at the end. It’s a good thing. I appreciate everything everybody’s doing.”
As of late August, Mohammed remains at Ofer prison. His family and the coalition of organizations continue to press for immediate U.S. intervention, warning that his life may depend on it.
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