State department appoints official to handle case of American-Palestinian teen detained by Israel

Moves marks escalation in diplomatic efforts in case of Mohammed Ibrahim, 16, who is being held in an Israeli military prison

The US state department is appointing a dedicated official to handle the case of Mohammed Ibrahim, a 16-year-old dual American-Palestinian citizen who has been held in an Israeli military prison for more than seven months.

Ibrahim is scheduled to meet with the new state department point person next week, marking an escalation in diplomatic efforts surrounding the Florida teenager's imprisonment at the Ofer military prison in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.