1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

We, the undersigned, demand the immediate release of all Sumud flotilla detainees and urgent U.S. leadership to end the naval blockade of Gaza or, at minimum, to replace it with verified, unimpeded humanitarian access. International humanitarian law and the law of occupation require that relief reach civilians and prohibit measures amounting to collective punishment; the interception and detention of peaceful activists in international waters, and the broader restrictions that have isolated Gaza, raise grave legal and moral concerns. We call on Congress to publicly demand the detainees’ immediate release with consular and medical access, open independent hearings into interdiction methods and humanitarian impacts, and use legislative and diplomatic tools — including conditioned aid and targeted measures — to ensure accountability and an immediate improvement in life‑saving access for civilians. History will judge those who enable or ignore starvation and the denial of basic civil and religious rights.