Forty members of the US Congress, including six senators, are calling for the immediate release of a 20-year-old American student held in Israeli military detention, Anadolu Agency reported.
In a letter sent Tuesday to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the lawmakers urged the State Department to act swiftly to secure the freedom of Sama Safi, citing her severe chronic health condition and concerns over her continued detention.
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Safi, a psychology student at Birzeit University in the occupied West Bank, was detained on June 2 during a late-night military raid on her family home, according to the lawmakers and other reports. She was among several Birzeit students detained during raids across the West Bank that day.
The lawmakers said Safi’s medical condition requires particular attention and urged Rubio to use his authority to ensure her immediate and permanent release.
Safi has remained in Israeli custody since her detention, with reports saying she has been held without formal charges. Earlier calls for her release have come from US lawmakers, rights groups and other organizations.
The latest congressional intervention adds pressure on the Trump administration to address the case of the American citizen, whose detention has drawn increasing attention in Washington.
More than 100 US-based organizations also called on Rubio last week to intervene, warning that interruptions to Safi’s medical care could seriously worsen her condition.
