Palestinian-American Student Held Without Charge After Israeli Military Raid; Family Raises Medical Concerns

Sama Safi, a 20-year-old Palestinian-American psychology student at Birzeit University, has been held in Israeli military detention since a pre-dawn raid on her family home on 2 June. She remains uncharged nearly two weeks after her arrest.

An Israeli military spokesperson said Safi and three other women detained at the same time were arrested "after promoting hostile terrorist activity and additional terrorist-related activities." Safi’s lawyer, veteran Israeli human rights attorney Lea Tsemel, says her client denies any involvement with the student group at the center of the allegations and that the organization itself is not illegal.

Tsemel told reporters the arrests appear to have followed information given by two other students who were in custody and who allegedly provided the military with dozens of names connected to an activist campus group called Qutub. Israel alleges the group is linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which it classifies as a terrorist organization. Tsemel said of the students who provided names:

"I don’t know how this information was extorted from them, probably by force. It’s nonsense."

The four students are being held at an Israeli detention and interrogation center in Jerusalem that human rights groups and journalists have long criticized for documented abuses. Tsemel reported that Safi was in relatively good spirits during a recent visit, saying Safi believes she did nothing wrong. Safi’s next hearing is scheduled for Sunday.

Family members say Safi suffers from a chronic autoinflammatory disease that can cause severe fevers and debilitating pain. She had recently begun recovering after months bedridden thanks to daily medication and care abroad. Relatives say she is receiving some medication in detention, but not enough and not the correct type to manage her condition properly.

A representative from the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem visited Safi and told her family she appeared to be "in good spirits" and was being provided what the official described as "sufficient food," though Safi reportedly called it "prison food." A State Department spokesperson declined to comment on the specifics of the case for privacy reasons but said the department takes its commitment to assist Americans abroad seriously and seeks consular access and adequate medical care for detained U.S. citizens.

In the United States, Safi’s cousin Selma Farsakh Ulm has mobilized campus Palestine solidarity networks to press for her release. Several U.S. lawmakers, including Senators Peter Welch, Jeff Merkley and Chris Van Hollen and Representative Ayanna Pressley, have publicly urged action on Safi’s behalf. Those officials previously advocated for other Palestinian-Americans detained by Israeli authorities, including the case of Mohammed Ibrahim, a 15-year-old who was released last November after nine months of detention following sustained advocacy.

Advocates and lawyers say Safi’s case highlights broader concerns about Israel’s use of administrative detention and the alleged hardening of treatment for Palestinians held on security-related allegations since 7 October 2023. Journalists and human rights organizations have documented claims of mistreatment in Israeli custody, including physical abuse and sexual violence.

What’s next: Safi remains in detention pending further hearings. Her family and lawyers continue to push for consular support, adequate medical treatment, and clarification of the charges, if any, against her.