WASHINGTON

US Sen. Chris Van Hollen demanded immediate action Sunday from the government to secure the release of American citizens detained by Israel after participating in a humanitarian flotilla bound for the Gaza Strip.

Van Hollen said he had been in direct contact with family members of the detainees, who have received little or no information from the US government about their loved ones’ status.

"I just spoke to some individuals whose loved ones were part of the flotilla trying to get food and humanitarian supplies to starving people in Gaza, and they called me because their loved ones have been detained, and they want to know what their situation is, and they've gotten no real response from the US Embassy or the US government.

"The US government says its number one obligation is to protect American citizens abroad, so regardless of what they thought about the flotilla, they have a duty to look out for the safety and security of these American citizens who, by the way, include a number of American veterans, people who served our country in uniform," he said in a video message.

The Global Sumud Flotilla set sail in late August, seeking to provide aid to Gaza, but Israel began attacking the boats on Wednesday, detaining more than 400 people, whom it began deporting on Friday.

The Israeli assault on the flotilla has triggered public protests and official condemnations in several countries, alongside growing calls for the release of detained activists and for Tel Aviv to be held accountable for its violations of international law.

Van Hollen stressed that he previously sent a letter to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio demanding immediate action but says he has yet to receive a substantive response.

On Sept. 24, Van Hollen was joined by Senators Edward J. Markey, Elizabeth Warren and Jeff Merkley in writing a letter to Rubio, urging him to intervene with the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to protect the safety of the civilian members of the Global Sumud Flotilla.

"Whether he (Rubio) agrees or disagrees with their view is not relevant. What's relevant is he has an obligation to protect American citizens regardless of their viewpoints," Van Hollen said.

"And in this case, you had American citizens who are trying to help get food to starving people in Gaza. We, the US government, must ensure and demand that all of these Americans are brought home safely and brought home now," he added.

Israel has maintained a blockade of Gaza, home to nearly 2.4 million people, for almost 18 years.

Since October 2023, Israeli bombardments have killed more than 67,000 Palestinians in the enclave, most of them women and children, and rendered it uninhabitable, with the blockade also pushing Gaza to famine.