By Sharon Zhang
This text was initially revealed by Truthout
Mohammad is imprisoned in an overcrowded cell with no heating or cooling and “extraordinarily inadequate” meals, he stated.
A bunch of Democrats is demanding Israel launch 16-year-old Mohammad Ibrahim after the Palestinian American youngster has described the horrific abuses he’s dealing with by the hands of Israeli officers in army jail.
On Tuesday, Protection for Kids Worldwide-Palestine (DCIP) shared testimony from Mohammad. Israel has held Mohammad in pre-trial detention for eight months, throughout which Israel has barred him from seeing his household. He has misplaced a major quantity of weight and contracted scabies in that point.
The boy, who faces prices of rock throwing from Israeli authorities, detailed overcrowding and deprivation in Ofer army jail.
“[My] part consists of 19 rooms, every outfitted with 4 bunk beds,” Mohammad advised DCIP. “In every room, eight youngsters occupy the beds, whereas the remaining youngsters sleep on mattresses on the ground.”
“The mattresses, whether or not on the beds or on the ground, are extraordinarily gentle and insufficient. Every prisoner receives two blankets, but we nonetheless really feel chilly at evening. There isn’t a heating or cooling system within the rooms. The one objects current are mattresses, blankets, and a single copy of the Quran in every room,” he stated.
Mohammad stated that authorities feed prisoners “extraordinarily inadequate” meals. They don’t seem to be fed dinner, and are solely given three “tiny” items of bread and a spoonful of labneh for breakfast, and, for lunch, “half a small cup of undercooked, dry rice, a single sausage, and three small items of bread.” The prisoners are additionally denied fundamental hygiene, with restricted entry to showers and cleaning soap, stated the boy.
Israel is infamous for its therapy of Palestinian youngsters, attempting them in army prisons and detaining them with out prices or trial. In March, a Palestinian youngster, Walid Khalid Abdullah Ahmad, collapsed and died in Israel’s infamous Megiddo jail after being systematically starved by Israeli guards. He was simply 17 years previous.
Mohammad is a U.S. citizen hailing from Florida, and was 15 when Israeli forces blindfolded and arrested him at his household’s house within the occupied West Financial institution in February. He’s the cousin of Sayfollah Musallet, a 20-year-old Palestinian American who was crushed to dying by Israeli settlers within the occupied West Financial institution in July.
Mohammad’s household has advocated for him to be launched, saying that U.S. stress can be instrumental in that effort — however the U.S. authorities has to this point refused.
On Wednesday, 27 Democrats despatched a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, urging them to stress the Israeli authorities to safe Mohammad’s launch. The letter effort was led by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland) and Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) and Representatives Kathy Castor (D-Florida) and Maxwell Frost (D-Florida).
The lawmakers word that nobody has been arrested for the killing of Musallet, and expressed concern {that a} continued lack of stress by the U.S. authorities might result in dying for younger Mohammad, prefer it did for Walid.
“In a disturbingly comparable case, and underscoring our urgency regarding Mohammed’s continued pre-trial detention, 17-year-old Palestinian Walid Ahmad collapsed and died in Megiddo Jail on March twenty second, 2025 after additionally being detained for six months with out prices or trial for allegedly throwing rocks,” the lawmakers stated. “It’s the accountability of the U.S. authorities to make sure that this current tragedy doesn’t repeat itself with Mohammed.”
“As we’ve got been advised repeatedly, ‘the Division of State has no greater precedence than the protection and safety of U.S. residents overseas.’ We share that view and urge you to satisfy this accountability by partaking the Israeli authorities on to safe the swift launch of this American boy,” they went on.
“Not even an American passport can shield Palestinian youngsters,” stated Ayed Abu Eqtaish, who directs DCIP’s accountability program. “Regardless of his household’s advocacy in Congress and involvement of the U.S. embassy, Mohammad stays in Israeli jail. Israel is the one nation on this planet that systematically prosecutes youngsters in army courtroom. Regardless of obligations underneath U.S. and worldwide legislation, the American authorities both doesn’t have the desire or the ability to assist Mohammad, and continues to ship Israel weapons with no restrictions.”
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