Palestinian-American teen held in “Israeli” prison, family pleads for US intervention

The family of Muhammad Zaher Ibrahim, a 16-year-old Palestinian-American, is urgently appealing for his release from “Israel's” Megiddo prison, where he has been held in pre-trial detention for over five months.

Arrested in February for allegedly throwing rocks, a charge his family vehemently denies, Muhammad's health has significantly deteriorated, prompting calls for immediate intervention from the United States government.

Muhammad, who was 15 at the time of his arrest, was taken from his family's home in the occupied West Bank village of Silwad (al-Mazraa ash-Sharqiya) by heavily armed “Israeli” troops.

Relatives state he was blindfolded and handcuffed. A video of his interrogation, reviewed by media outlets, shows him being questioned without a lawyer present, raising concerns about due process.

His family, who split their time between the West Bank and Palm Bay, Florida, has been completely cut off from Muhammad, with no visitation or phone rights since his detention.

"When you can't visit him and you can't get a phone call from him, what do you know? We don't know if he's dead… There's nothing we know," his father, Zaher Ibrahim, expressed.

Concerns for Muhammad's well-being have escalated due to his rapidly declining health. He has reportedly lost between 12-13kg, more than a fourth of his body weight, and has developed a severe scabies infection.

His family describes Megiddo Prison as "notorious for brutality and suffering". This aligns with reports from human rights groups detailing harsh conditions for Palestinian children in “Israeli” prisons, including beatings, starvation policies, and denial of medical care.

Notably, Walid Ahmad, a 17-year-old detainee, died in Megiddo in March from "prolonged malnutrition" and also suffered from scabies.

Zaher Ibrahim reached out to Republican Congressman Mike Haridopolos in March, pleading for assistance. While US embassy officials have conducted welfare checks, they have faced restrictions on access in recent weeks.

The State Department confirmed Muhammad was receiving treatment for scabies and promised a visit upon his recovery. However, the State Department declined to comment publicly on the case, citing "privacy considerations", according to Al-Jazeera. 

Organizations like Defense for Children International-Palestine (DCI-P) report that “Israel” prosecutes between 500 and 700 Palestinian children in military courts annually, with 323 children aged 12-17 held as of March 2025.

Conditions in “Israeli” jails for Palestinians have reportedly worsened since October 7, 2023, with stricter punishments and restrictions on visits.

The detention also comes amid escalating violence in the West Bank. Muhammad is the first cousin of Sayfollah Musallet, a 20-year-old dual US-Palestinian citizen beaten to death by “Israeli” settlers in July.

The family points to a perceived double standard, noting that while Muhammad remains detained, settlers allegedly responsible for his cousin's death remain free.