# Palestinian American woman held without charge by Israeli military *Canonical page:* https://truthscore.com/source/b489bb15 *Machine twins:* https://truthscore.com/source/b489bb15.md · JSON at https://truthscore.com/api/v1 Publisher: theguardian.com · published 2026-06-13 · read 2026-07-20 Original: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/13/palestinian-held-sama-safi-israeli-military *A source is testimony, not proof. The document itself is never republished here.* ## Who is named (18) - [US state department](https://truthscore.com/entity/145d1dee) - [Lea Tsemel](https://truthscore.com/entity/1aa10324) - [Ayanna Pressley](https://truthscore.com/entity/1b7ea895) - [Birzeit University](https://truthscore.com/entity/39bbebdd) - [Chris Van Hollen](https://truthscore.com/entity/4326ea31) - [Mohammed Ibrahim](https://truthscore.com/entity/495d5988) - [Peter Welch](https://truthscore.com/entity/638f2ebe) - [Palestinian women's national soccer team](https://truthscore.com/entity/687bf5f8) - [Israeli detention and interrogation center in Jerusalem](https://truthscore.com/entity/7d4c50f9) - [US embassy in Jerusalem](https://truthscore.com/entity/970c8493) - [Israeli soldier](https://truthscore.com/entity/a68f641b) - [Jeff Merkley](https://truthscore.com/entity/be9a8683) - [Qutub](https://truthscore.com/entity/c05aebf2) - [Trump Administration](https://truthscore.com/entity/cd09fe68) - [Sama Safi](https://truthscore.com/entity/d1b5d2c8) - [Selma Farsakh Ulm](https://truthscore.com/entity/e3932ad1) - [Florida](https://truthscore.com/entity/eae33a24) - [West Bank](https://truthscore.com/entity/ee4d89c7) ## What it added - [Israeli soldiers arrested Sama Safi and members of the Palestinian women's national soccer team.](https://truthscore.com/claim/cf1237f8) > Soldiers arrested university student Sama Safi, 20, along with members of Palestinian women’s national soccer team. - [Sama Safi has been held in Israeli military detention for nearly two weeks after Israeli soldiers stormed her family home.](https://truthscore.com/claim/3fd299a2) > A 20‑year‑old Palestinian American woman has been held in Israeli military detention for nearly two weeks after Israeli soldiers stormed her family home in a pre‑dawn raid on 2 June. - [Sama Safi and three other women were arrested after promoting hostile terrorist activity and additional terrorist‑related activities.](https://truthscore.com/claim/a7d0d9a0) > A spokesperson for the Israeli military said she and three other women detained around the same time were arrested “after promoting hostile terrorist activity and additional terrorist‑related activities”. - [US legislators have called for Sama Safi’s release.](https://truthscore.com/claim/65c43c81) > Several US legislators have called for Safi’s release and her family has warned that she has a chronic medical condition that requires regular treatment. - [Sama Safi has a chronic medical condition that requires regular treatment.](https://truthscore.com/claim/4ef8859f) > Several US legislators have called for Safi’s release and her family has warned that she has a chronic medical condition that requires regular treatment. - [One of the other detained Birzeit University students is a member of the Palestinian women’s national soccer team; another player from the team was detained…](https://truthscore.com/claim/49c918e9) > One of the other detained Birzeit University students is a member of the Palestinian women’s national soccer team; another player from the team was also detained before being released earlier this week. - [The four students are being held at an Israeli detention and interrogation center in Jerusalem.](https://truthscore.com/claim/c60ce627) > The four students are being held at an Israeli detention and interrogation center in Jerusalem notorious for its record of abuse. - [Sama Safi denies involvement with Qutub and says Qutub is not illegal.](https://truthscore.com/claim/2360409c) > Tsemel says her client denies being involved with the student group – but also says the group itself is not illegal. - [Lea Tsemel does not know how the information was extorted from the students, probably by force, and calls it nonsense.](https://truthscore.com/claim/6052d872) > “I don’t know how this information was extorted from them, probably by force,” Tsemel said of the students who allegedly provided the names. “It’s nonsense.” - [Sama Safi’s next hearing is scheduled for Sunday.](https://truthscore.com/claim/1d54b4b2) > Her next hearing is scheduled for Sunday. - [During a visit this week, Lea Tsemel said Sama Safi was in relatively good spirits because she knows she didn’t do anything.](https://truthscore.com/claim/1a8d9148) > Tsemel visited Safi in detention this week, where she said she found her in relatively good spirits because “she knows she didn’t do anything”. - [Treatment of Palestinians held over security‑threat allegations has grown harsher since 7 October 2023.](https://truthscore.com/claim/8a2867c1) > But she noted that the treatment of Palestinians held over allegations that they pose a security threat –including thousands who are held with no charges under so‑called “administrative detention” – has grown harsher since 7 October 2023. - [Journalists and human rights groups have documented widespread abuses of Palestinians in Israeli detention, including sexual abuse and beatings.](https://truthscore.com/claim/44e44ac8) > Journalists and human rights groups have documented widespread abuses of Palestinians in Israeli detention, including sexual abuse and beatings. - [Sama Safi grew up in Palestine and frequently visited her extended family in Florida, where her mother grew up.](https://truthscore.com/claim/36729221) > Safi grew up in Palestine but frequently visited her extended family in Florida, where her mother grew up. - [Relatives say Sama Safi suffers from a chronic autoinflammatory disease and has recently begun to regain health after being bedridden for months thanks to…](https://truthscore.com/claim/a8b74602) > Relatives said she suffers from a chronic autoinflammatory disease that can cause debilitating fevers and pain and she had only recently begun to regain her health after being bedridden for months thanks to daily medication and regular treatment abroad. - [Sama Safi’s family says she is receiving some medication in detention, but not enough or the right kind to properly treat her condition.](https://truthscore.com/claim/66db92c4) > Her family said that she was receiving some medication in detention, but not enough and not the right kind to properly treat her condition. - [A US embassy representative visited Sama Safi in detention, said she appeared in good spirits and was receiving sufficient food, though she described it as…](https://truthscore.com/claim/bb9a2973) > Earlier this week, a representative of the US embassy in Jerusalem visited Safi in detention where, he also told the family, she appeared to be “in good spirits”. He reported that she was receiving “sufficient food” though she described it as “prison food”. - [A US state department spokesperson declined to comment on Sama Safi’s case but said the Trump Administration takes its commitment to assist Americans abroad…](https://truthscore.com/claim/7f9493eb) > A spokesperson for the US state department declined to comment on Safi’s case, citing privacy considerations, but said that “the Trump Administration takes its commitment to assist Americans abroad seriously and we are monitoring the situation”. - [The US Department advocates for detained Americans’ access to adequate medical care and seeks consular access as quickly as possible.](https://truthscore.com/claim/0f31692d) > “When Americans are detained abroad, the Department advocates for their access to adequate medical care and seeks consular access as quickly as possible,” the spokesperson added. - [Selma Farsakh Ulm has mobilized friends in the campus Palestine solidarity movement to advocate for Sama Safi.](https://truthscore.com/claim/432fe8ca) > Selma Farsakh Ulm, Safi’s cousin in the US, has mobilized friends in the campus Palestine solidarity movement to advocate for Safi. - [Senators Peter Welch, Jeff Merkley and Chris Van Hollen and Representative Ayanna Pressley responded swiftly to Selma Farsakh Ulm’s effort.](https://truthscore.com/claim/34c5e9d1) > Her effort drew swift responses from the senators Peter Welch, Jeff Merkley and Chris Van Hollen, as well as the representative Ayanna Pressley. - [The same legislators had also spoken out on behalf of Mohammed Ibrahim, who was freed last November after nine months of detention.](https://truthscore.com/claim/0e767a8d) > All of them had also spoken out on behalf of Mohammed Ibrahim, a 15‑year‑old Palestinian American boy who was detained by the Israeli military over allegations that he had thrown rocks. > Ibrahim was freed last November after nine months of detention and a sustained campaign by US lawmakers who advocated for his release. - [Selma Farsakh Ulm said Safi’s case is no different from that of thousands of Palestinian prisoners and detainees.](https://truthscore.com/claim/cb0cb659) > Farsakh Ulm said that while she hoped the fact that her cousin is a US citizen would help pressure the Israeli government to release her, her case was no different from that of thousands of Palestinian prisoners and detainees. - [Selma Farsakh Ulm said many other people are experiencing the same situation as Sama Safi and that drawing attention to her case can educate others about the…](https://truthscore.com/claim/8cb15475) > “What Sama is experiencing is also being experienced by many, many other people,” she said. “But calling attention to her case can also educate others about what other people are experiencing who are not American citizens.” ## What it cost Reading this document into the graph cost $0.03.