A Palestinian-American teenager who spent nine months detained in Israel without charge has been released.
Mohammed Ibrahim was 15 when he was arrested in February in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where he was vacationing from Florida, for allegedly throwing stones at Jewish settlers, which he had previously denied.
The US State Department said it welcomed the news of Mohammed’s release.
The BBC has contacted the Israeli authorities but has not received a response.
Mohammed, now 16, was taken to hospital for treatment immediately after his release, his relatives told media. They said he is pale, underweight and suffering from conditions contracted in captivity.
In a statement, Mohammed’s uncle spoke of the “immense relief” for the family. Zeyad Kadur said the family had been “living a horrible, endless nightmare” for the past nine months.
“Right now, we are focused on providing Mohammed with the immediate medical care he needs after being subjected to Israel’s abuse and inhumane conditions for months. We just want Mohammed to be healthy and regain his childhood,” he said.
“To begin with, the Israeli soldiers had no right to take Muhammad away from us,” he added.
The state department said it would continue to provide consular support to Mohammed’s family. “The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety of American citizens,” he added.
Earlier this week, Mohammed’s father, Zahar Ibrahim, told the BBC that he was frustrated that the US government was not doing more to get his son out of prison.
Twenty-seven US lawmakers signed a letter to the State Department and President Donald Trump, demanding more be done to free him.
Ibrahim, a father of four who runs an ice cream business in Florida, previously said his son only confessed to throwing rocks because soldiers beat him.
He had not seen or spoken to Mohammed since February, and only learned what had happened to him while he was detained through court documents.
Mohammed was held without charge in Ofer prison in the West Bank. It also houses adult prisoners, some of whom have been convicted of serious crimes of terrorism and murder.
According to the Israel Prison Service, there are around 350 Palestinian children detained for security reasons in Israeli prisons.
Many have never been charged and human rights groups, as well as the United Nations, say some have suffered abuse and torture.
Following Mohammed’s release, Kadur said the family would also continue to fight for justice for his cousin Sayfollah Musallet, a 20-year-old dual American citizen who, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, was beaten to death by Israeli settlers during a clash in July.
At the time, the Israeli military said authorities were investigating reports of the death of a Palestinian civilian.
Mohammed and Sayfollah had worked together at the family ice cream shop in Tampa, Florida. No one has been charged with Sayfollah’s murder.
“We hope that the American government will protect our families,” Kadur said.
