A German activist detained in Israel after joining a Gaza-bound humanitarian aid flotilla has filed a criminal complaint. She alleges prison guards sexually assaulted her during her detention last year. The allegations, first reported by The Guardian, have drawn renewed attention to the treatment of activists held by Israeli authorities.
Anna Liedtke, 25, says the alleged assault happened during the third strip search she underwent at Givon prison. She claims female guards forced her to her knees, covered her mouth to stop her from screaming, and sexually assaulted her. She also alleges she heard male guards laughing nearby. Liedtke believes the incident may have been recorded by prison security cameras.
She was among about 100 activists aboard a humanitarian aid flotilla that left southern Italy on Sept. 30. Israeli forces intercepted the vessel in international waters on Oct. 8. Liedtke was then taken into custody in Israel. She spent five days in detention before being deported to Jordan on Oct. 12.
Allegations this serious can’t simply be ignored
Liedtke said she was moved between Ketziot and Givon prisons during her detention. She also said she was subjected to multiple strip searches without her consent. The alleged assault took place at Givon prison in an area that was only partly hidden by a curtain.
She first spoke publicly about the alleged assault in December. She became the first flotilla participant to accuse Israeli prison staff of rape while in detention. Liedtke also claims that more than a dozen other activists have since reported sexual assault. Most of them, however, have chosen to remain anonymous.
Her lawyer, Muna Haddad of the Palestinian human rights organization Adalah, submitted the complaint to Israel’s attorney general. It was also sent to the Israel Prison Service’s legal adviser, its internal investigations department, and the commander of Givon prison. Haddad said the filing is intended to see how Israeli authorities respond when asked to formally investigate allegations of sexual abuse.
The complaint arrives at a time when Israel’s actions during the conflict are facing increased international scrutiny. That includes another recent incident in which the Israeli military said three journalists killed in Gaza were militants, a claim that sparked widespread attention and debate.
Liedtke said she does not expect speaking out to stop such incidents on its own. However, she believes seeking accountability is part of her responsibility as an activist.
The Israel Defense Forces said they “reject allegations of abuse” involving military personnel who intercepted the flotilla. They referred questions about the detention to the Israel Prison Service. The prison service also denied the claims. It called the allegations “entirely unsubstantiated” and rejected “any allegation of rape, sexual assault or systematic abuse by its personnel.”
The complaint comes as similar allegations have surfaced from other flotilla participants. Australian activists who returned home in May alleged they were sexually assaulted and beaten while in Israeli custody. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong later said she found those allegations credible. Australian authorities have since opened an investigation. French prosecutors have also launched a war crimes investigation into the treatment of French citizens detained by Israel. In May, the United Nations added Israel to its list of parties linked to conflict-related sexual violence, citing allegations involving Israeli security forces.
The allegations also emerge against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Gaza. In a separate recent development, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the IDF to seize roughly 70% of the Gaza Strip despite a U.S.-brokered ceasefire remaining in effect.
Published: Jul 15, 2026 04:15 pm