Mohammed Ibrahim, a 16-year-old Palestinian-American teenager, has been released after spending nine months in Israeli detention. He was arrested at age 15 in February during a family visit to the West Bank from Florida. Israeli authorities accused him of throwing stones at Jewish settlers. However, Mohammed said he only admitted to this after being beaten and threatened by interrogators. Immediately after his release on Thursday evening, Mohammed was taken to a hospital. His family said he looks pale, underweight, and suffers from health problems caused by his time in prison, according to the BBC. Video shows him in a grey prison jumpsuit wiping tears as his father hugs him. Mohammed’s uncle, Zeyad Kadur, said the family lived through a “horrific and endless nightmare.” He added, “We just want Mohammed to be healthy and to have his childhood back.” Kadur also said, “Israeli soldiers had no right to take Mohammed from us in the first place.” Mohammed was held at Megiddo and Ofer prisons in the West Bank. These prisons house adults convicted of serious crimes. In a statement to his lawyer, Mohammed said he was assaulted during arrest and that prisoners often had to sleep on mattresses on the floor. His family said he lost around 25 pounds and suffered from scabies due to poor conditions and lack of food, the Times of Israel reported. The US State Department welcomed his release and said it will continue supporting his family. It added that “the safety and security of US citizens” is its top priority. Earlier this week, Mohammed’s father from Tampa, Florida, expressed frustration with the US government for not doing enough. Over 100 faith-based and human rights organizations, along with 24 US lawmakers, had urged Washington to intervene. According to the Israeli Prison Service, about 350 Palestinian children are in Israeli jails. Human rights groups and the UN have repeatedly raised concerns about mistreatment of minors. Mohammed’s family also plans to seek justice for his cousin, 20-year-old US citizen Sayfollah Musallet, who was beaten to death by Israeli settlers in July. No arrests have been made. This occurred during a rise in settler violence in the West Bank after the Gaza war started in October 2023. “We expect the American government to protect our families,” said Mohammed’s uncle.