US Embassy Neglects Gaza Flotilla Volunteers

July 30, 2025

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Former U.S. diplomat Ann Wright protests the failure of her country’s embassy in Jerusalem to act on behalf of American volunteers on the Handala who were seized by Israel.

(Photo from Gaza Freedom Flotilla Coalition camera onboard Handala, provided by the author)

By Ann Wright

As a former U.S. diplomat charged with the protection of U.S. citizens outside the country, I am appalled that no officials from the U.S. embassy in Israel made visits to Givon Prison in Israel while U.S. citizens from the Gaza flotilla ship Handala were imprisoned there. One of them, Chris Smalls, the former leader of the Amazon labor union, remains so.  

Lawyers with Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel have represented Handala members.

Here is their latest report, as of Wednesday, 3 p.m. Jerusalem time: 

“Seven Handala volunteers remain in Israeli custody — five are currently at the airport awaiting deportation, while two remain in an Israeli prison.

This morning, five volunteers were transferred to the airport and are scheduled to depart later today: Braedon Peluso (United States), Frank Romano (United States–France), Santiago González Vallejo (Spain), Sergio Toribio Sanchez (Spain), and Vigdis Bjorvand (Norway).

Meanwhile, two other volunteers — Christian Smalls (United States) and Hatem Aouini (Tunisia) — remain detained in Givon Prison and are expected to be deported tomorrow. Both are on the fifth day of an open hunger strike to protest their unlawful detention under poor conditions. Adalah’s attorneys visited them in the past hour. During the meeting, the two reported that prison personnel had been violently raiding and searching their cells on a regular basis.

They are being held in overcrowded, poorly ventilated cells, without ventilation or cooling, despite the extreme summer heat. They are being denied basic hygiene supplies, and their sleeping areas are infested with bedbugs. With no yard time, they remain confined in closed rooms all day, without fresh air or space to move.

Seven volunteers were deported yesterday, 29 July: Ange Sahuquet (France), Emma Fourreau (France–Sweden), Chloé Fiona Ludden (United Kingdom–France), Justine Kempf (France), Antonio La Picirella (Italy), Robert Martin (Australia), and Tania (Tan) Safi (“Australia”).

Other volunteers were deported or released earlier.” 

Officials from other countries whose citizens were on the Handala made visits to the prison to talk in person about their welfare, conditions and treatment in the prison and treatment by Israeli commandos when the ship was boarded in international waters on July 26 and U.S. citizens were taken against their will to Israel and then charged with illegally entering Israel.

Attorneys Report Harsh Conditions 

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee visiting Bnei Brak, Israel, last week. (US Embassy Jerusalem/CC BY 4.0)

After a deportation hearing on Monday, Adalah reported that U.S citizen Smalls said he was subjected to “severe physical violence by Israeli forces” while in Israeli custody.

At the same hearing on July 28, Adalah lawyers wrote:

“Several female activists described similar abuse and deplorable detention conditions, including a lack of ventilation despite extreme heat and the absence of basic sanitary supplies for women. The activists told the tribunal that they remain on an open hunger strike in protest of their unlawful detention.”

In a report issued at 10 p.m. Jerusalem time on Tuesday, Adalah attorneys, after visiting the Handala volunteers earlier that day, said: 

“… the volunteers reported harsh and degrading detention conditions. The volunteers are now on their fourth consecutive day of hunger strike, protesting their unlawful detention.”

The male detainees reported violent cell searches by prison service forces not wearing uniforms, which took place immediately after their return from the immigration tribunal hearings Tuesday.

All activists confirmed they were held in small, overcrowded rooms with no ventilation or cooling, despite temperatures reaching 34 degrees Celsius.

Adalah reiterates that the volunteers’ detention is illegal and unjustified. The conditions they endure highlight the harsh realities faced within Israeli Prison Service custody, where many Palestinians suffer far more severe mistreatment and abuse.

Dual Citizens Released Upon Arrival 

Huwaida Arraf, a human rights attorney and Robert Suberi, a Jewish U.S. war veteran, are dual citizens of the U.S. and Israel and were released upon arrival in Israel as is typically done with dual U.S.-Israeli citizens.

Jacob Berger, a Jewish-American activist and actor, was deported from Israel on July 28 and is back in the U.S.

Waad al Musa, an Iraq-American Al Jazeera journalist was deported from Israel on July 29.

Statements by Two US Citizens

Braedon Peluso conveyed the following message to be shared publicly while he was imprisoned:

“No U.S. embassy officials have visited us or inquired about our condition — despite our repeated appeals.”

Frank Romano, who undertook a water and hunger strike for three days, announced that he would resume drinking water at 18:00 on July 29 but would continue his hunger strike until a ceasefire is reached in Gaza. He shared the following letter from detention:

“After completing three days of a hunger and water strike, I will start drinking water at 18:00 today. From now on, I will continue the hunger strike until a ceasefire is approved by both sides regarding the genocide in Gaza. I have already gone three days without food or water. Now, I will continue with the hunger strike until a ceasefire.

It is urgent for the world to come together to end the occupation— in Gaza, the West Bank, and all of Palestine.

These are desperate times, and we must take desperate actions. My life is only a vehicle — this is not about me, but about shedding light on Gaza.”

Ann Wright is a retired U.S. Army colonel and a former U.S. diplomat who resigned in 2003 in opposition to the U.S. war on Iraq.  She is a member of U.S. Boats to Gaza and is on the steering committee of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla Coalition. She was in Gaza 10 times between 2009 and 2014 and was on two flotilla boats that were seized in international waters in 2010 and 2016. She was imprisoned and also deported. 

https://consortiumnews.com/2025/07/30/us-embassy-neglects-gaza-flotilla-volunteers/