DaysofPal- A German journalist stated that she was sexually assaulted by Israeli soldiers while in detention after Israeli forces intercepted a humanitarian aid vessel bound for the Gaza Strip.
Anna Liedkte, 25 years old , said she was detained while aboard the Al-Damir, a ship affiliated with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which was seized by Israeli occupation forces earlier this year as it attempted to reach Gaza.
In a public video statement, Liedkte said she was raped during her detention in Israeli prisons, describing the experience as part characterized as systematic abuse inside detention facilities.
Liedkte said she decided to speak publicly to shed light on the violations against detainees and to represent those who, she said, are unable to share their experiences.
According to her account, detainees were subjected to repeated strip searches during transfers between detention centers, during which the assault occurred.
“I am sharing this testimony not only for myself, but for everyone who cannot speak about what happened to them,” Liedkte said.
She claimed that her treatment reflected what she described as a broader dehumanization of Palestinians and detainees, and said her experience compelled her, as a journalist, to speak out.
Liedkte stressed that she does not feel shame over what happened to her and believes responsibility lies with those who committed the abuse.
Liedkte accused the Israeli occupation of violating international law and humanitarian and human rights standards, and called for accountability that, in her view, goes beyond prosecuting individual perpetrators.
She linked justice to broader political demands, including ending the occupation and dismantling what she described as a system of repression.
She also expressed solidarity with Palestinians, urging them to continue their struggle, and called on international supporters to take public action, including demonstrations and advocacy for Palestinian rights and bodily autonomy.
Israeli forces intercepted the Al-Damir several months ago, after which Liedkte was held in detention for five days before being deported.
Her testimony has prompted strong reactions, with international human rights organizations calling for an independent and transparent investigation.
These groups say her testimony aligns with other reports on sexual abuse and mistreatment inside Israeli detention facilities.
Her testimony comes amid a growing number of testimonies from former detainees, including reports documented by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, which in November published accounts from men and women detained from Gaza who reported sexual assault, including rape, while in Israeli custody.
Another former detainee, journalist Sami Al-Sa’i from Tulkarm in the occupied West Bank, has also publicly stated that he was raped by prison guards during his detention in Megiddo Prison between February 2024 and June 2025.
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