Mohammed Zaher Ibrahim (born March 2009)[1] is a Palestinian and American teenager who was detained by the Israeli military from February to November 2025 on allegations of throwing stones at Israeli vehicles. His case drew widespread attention from U.S. lawmakers and over 100 human rights, civil rights, and faith-based organizations, which urged the United States government to intervene on his behalf.[2] Ibrahim, who was held without trial and denied family visitation during his detention, was released in late November 2025.
Ibrahim is Palestinian and American, born in Florida. His family lives in both Palm Bay, Florida and the West Bank village of Silwad.[3][1][4] He is the youngest of five children. His cousin, Sayfollah Musallet, was beaten to death by Israeli settlers in July 2025 while visiting relatives in the village of Sinjil.[5] According to other relatives, Ibrahim was not informed of his cousin's death as of October 2025.[6]
News outlets and human rights organizations both within and outside of Israel reported that thousands of Gazan workers in Israel were detained in the weeks following October 7.[8] Additionally, Israel has detained or subjected to enforced disappearance residents of the Gaza Strip, arrested Palestinians in the West Bank and Arab citizens of Israel, and detained fighters captured inside Israel.[10][11][12] Concerns have been raised regarding the legality, secrecy, and conditions of many detentions, including allegations of widespread mistreatment, torture, and sexual assault.[13][14]
Arrest and detention
According to his family, Ibrahim was arrested on 16 February 2025 at the age of 15 from their family home in al-Mazraa ash-Sharqiya, a Palestinian village north of Ramallah. His relatives state that an interrogation video obtained from the Israeli military shows Ibrahim denying allegations of throwing rocks at Israeli vehicles.[15] Advocacy organizations state that Ibrahim was first held in Megiddo prison and subsequently transferred to Ofer Prison.[16][17] While in detention, Ibrahim lost over 25 pounds (11kg) and developed scabies.[18][1] As of 24 October 2025, he was "believed to be the only U.S. child currently held in Israeli detention".[19] The Israeli lawyer Leah Tsemel commented on the accounts of malnutrition and disease, telling NPR "Even a boy — even a younger boy than this one — is considered a security prisoner, and will be limited and denied of any right, including food, including family visits."[20]
As a U.S. citizen, Ibrahim was denied visitation from his parents throughout his eight-month incarceration. If found guilty, he faced a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Following the October 7 attacks, official Palestinian statistics indicated that over 9,000 Palestinian children had been apprehended by Israel in the West Bank.[20]
Campaign for release
In March 2025, Ibrahim's father contacted Florida Republican congressman Mike Haridopolos after not hearing from his son for 45 days following his arrest. Haridopolos's office confirmed they received the queries and forwarded his information to the U.S. State Department.[1] Embassy officials eventually visited Ibrahim and informed his family that he "appeared to have lost 12 kilograms (26lb) in the spring."[1][21]
On 8 September 2025, Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar posted on X (formerly Twitter) "The Israeli government is holding Mohammed Zaher Ibrahim, a 16-year-old Palestinian-American citizen, in prison. He has been held without trial for over six months. He must be released."[31][32]
The U.S State Department announced on 28 September 2025 that it was appointing a dedicated official to work on Ibrahim's case.[29][33] This followed a series of high-profile meetings on Capitol Hill[34] and a press conference with members of Ibrahim's family alongside Washington congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and representatives from the families of American citizens killed by the Israeli military or Israeli settlers: Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, Sayfollah Musallet, Tawfiq Abdel Jabbar, and Rachel Corrie.[29][35][36] Eygi's sister Ozden Bennett met with Massachusetts representative Jim McGovern, telling the lawmaker that Ibrahim “feels like my little brother,” adding: “I can’t do anything for my sister, but we can help him.”[37]
According to his uncle, Ibrahim was not included in the exchange of hostages and prisoners from the 2025 Gaza peace plan and remained in Israeli prison as of 16 October 2025.[38][39]
On 22 October 2025, 27 Democratic members of Congress wrote to Marco Rubio and US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee urging them "to secure the swift release of this American boy."[40]
In response to mounting pressure from U.S. senators to release Ibrahim, the Israeli embassy in Washington sent them a letter defending his prolonged detention.[41]
Release
On 27 November 2025, Ibrahim was released from prison after over nine months in detention.[42][43]
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