We, constituents of the 19th congressional district of New York State, demand that our representative Josh Riley take measures to achieve the following:

1. Immediate release of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, along with all Palestinian hostages held as political prisoners

2. Independent investigation & disclosure of the identities and conditions of detained Palestinians

3. Immediate end to all forms of torture

4. Immediate access to legal representation, family visits, health care, and adequate access to water, food, and hygiene

5. Restoration of all rights lost as a result of collective punishment after October, 2023

6. Accountability and Sanctions against all perpetrators of war crimes against Palestinian political prisoners

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UN Special Rapporteur Alice Jill Edwards reports that of at least 94 deaths in custody since October 2023, not one has been investigated, raising heightened alarm bells. Post-mortem examinations in a number of these cases evidenced multiple rib fractures, hemorrhages on the skin and internal organs, and lacerations of intra-abdominal organs.

She also noted that of a mere 52 cases under investigation by the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division, only a handful had been pursued. She specifically asked for clarity on the Military Advocate's decision on March 12, 2026, to drop charges in one notable case involving the alleged rape of a Palestinian detainee. The victim's (pictured above) medical records show that he was taken to hospital in the summer of 2024 with injuries including broken ribs, a punctured lung, and severe rectal damage.

Among thousands of other Palestinians arbitrarily detained is Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, a pediatrician, neonatologist, and director of Gaza's Kamal Adwan Hospital, who has been held without charge for over 500 days. He is a physician who has stood with unwavering courage to serve the lives of his patients despite being a grieving father whose son was murdered by the IDF.

While the arbitrary abduction of Palestinians is not new, the number of men, women, and children who have been kidnapped and confined without due process has risen to over 18,000 since October 2023 as part of a brutal escalation through formal Israeli policy. Israel is the only nation that charges and tries children under military law, with a 99% conviction rate. As of March 30, 2026, the death penalty is mandatory and must be carried out within 90 days for any Palestinian Israel deems a terrorist.
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International volunteers aiming to break the siege on Gaza with boats organized through Freedom Flotilla and Global Sumud initiatives have reported some of these same tactics after unlawful detainment at sea. As the largest financial supporter of the Israeli military, and with an undetermined number of American citizens remaining in Israeli custody, the U.S. must take action to respond to the barbaric treatment by the Israeli Defense Forces.

Thousands of Palestinians need urgent action to guarantee their basic human rights as they’re held hostage by the apartheid state of Israel. Your constituents call on you to use your platform and position as an elected public official to reflect the overwhelming response to the horrors of sexual abuse and prison conditions, well documented by Palestinian, Israeli, and other humanitarian groups and reputable sources.