US Congress members tell Secretary of State Rubio to protect Gaza aid flotilla
US Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib has signed a letter along with 18 other members of Congress demanding that the Trump administration ensure the safe passage of the Global Sumud flotilla.
In a post on social media, Tlaib – who made history by being the first woman of Palestinian descent when first elected to Congress in 2019 – said the flotilla is bringing humanitarian aid to Palestinians starved to death by Israel in Gaza, and it must be “fully protected” from attack.
The flotilla has already come under attack on at least three occasions, the lawmakers said in their joint letter to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday.
“The law is clear: any attack on the Global Sumud Flotilla or its civilian crew is a clear and blatant violation of international law,” the lawmakers wrote.
“The United States has an obligation to protect its citizens from foreign attack. We call on you [Rubio] to deter any further hostile actions against the flotilla and ensure the successful completion of its humanitarian mission,” they added.
The Global Sumud Flotilla is sailing to Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians who are being starved to death by the Israeli government. They must be fully protected. I’m leading a letter to the Trump Administration demanding safe passage and calling for an end to the… pic.twitter.com/VMeOjzviEP
— Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (@RepRashida) September 29, 2025
Turkiye appears to have sent drones to monitor Sumud Flotilla
Turkiye has joined Spain, Italy and Greece in monitoring the Global Sumud Flotilla, flight data shows.
Flight tracking websites showed that three long-endurance drones originating from Turkiye’s Corlu airbase have been circling over the flotilla for three days.
Turkiye’s foreign and defence ministries and the intelligence agency did not respond to requests for comment from the Reuters news agency, which said it was unable to confirm the reason for the drone flights.
