Warren, Duckworth, Van Hollen, Markey, Merkley Ask Trump State Department to Explain Apparent Neglect of American Citizens Detained from Global Sumud Flotilla

Trump State Department has failed to explain why "it took the U.S. embassy four days - longer than other governments whose citizens were detained - to visit and assess the care of American citizens."

"What steps will the State Department take to independently evaluate the accusations of mistreatment towards American citizens on the Global Sumud Flotilla?"

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ed Markey (D-Mass), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) wrote to the Department of State (State Department) requesting an explanation for the department's failure to provide timely consular services to American citizens who were detained while on the Global Sumud Flotilla.

Last week, Israeli military forces boarded the flotilla boats, which set sail from Spain in September with the goal of delivering food to citizens of Gaza, and began detaining activists, including a number of European lawmakers.

Detained individuals allege that they faced "sleep and medication deprivation, beatings, having automatic rifles pointed at their heads, dogs set upon them, [and] having to sleep on the floor." Others reported a "lack of water and food," and that they were "locked in a cage," "dragged" on the ground, "blindfolded," and subjected to "restricted religious practice." Another individual from the flotilla reported that "he had been slapped and had his arm dislocated and head slammed into the ground." Legal experts have raised concerns that Israel may have violated international law by intercepting the flotilla, raising serious questions about the legitimacy of these detentions.

It appears it took State Department officials four days - longer than other governments, including Switzerland and Italy, whose citizens were also detained - to visit and assess the care of American citizens. To date, the State Department has failed to provide an explanation for the delay and failure to independently assess reports of the treatment of detainees in a timely manner. Most members of the flotilla, including constituents from Massachusetts, Maryland, Oregon, and Illinois, have reportedly been released.

"We are also disturbed by reports that those detained were pressured to forfeit their due process rights by making their release contingent on admitting guilt for entering Israel illegally," the Senators wrote. "What steps will the State Department take to independently evaluate the accusations of mistreatment towards American citizens on the Global Sumud Flotilla?"

"We continue to urge the State Department to do everything in its power to end the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, force Hamas to release the hostages, and continue to advance a two-state solution to produce a lasting peace," the senators concluded.

The lawmakers requested, that to inform their legislative responsibilities related to the State Department generally and to determine whether existing laws and policies to secure the release of detained Americans are sufficient, the State Department provide answers, by October 14, 2025, about the apparent delay in visiting detained American citizens, whether there was a delay in authorization from the Israeli government to visit the American citizens, whether the department was aware of allegations of abuse of American citizens during their detention, and how the department will independently evaluate the accusations of mistreatment of American citizens in Israeli detention.

Text of Letter (PDF)

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