MELBOURNE, 17 June, 2026: Canberra has launched an inquiry into allegations that Australian women detained after the Global Sumud Flotilla was intercepted by Israeli forces were sexually assaulted and beaten, escalating tensions between Australia and Israel.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she believes the women and described the allegations as horrific and unacceptable, while calling for a transparent and independent investigation.
BBC reports: “During the meeting at Parliament House on Monday, the Australian flotilla activists told Penny Wong they were kidnapped, abused, raped, and tortured by Israeli forces after their detention in May”.
The alleged victims told foreign minister Penny Wong, the Guardian reports,
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Juliet Lamont said she was raped by an Israeli soldier and beaten, restrained with cable ties, and subjected to water torture to the point where she feared drowning.
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Neve O’Connor reported being physically assaulted and sexually humiliated, claiming she had her arms pinned behind her back while someone kneed her spine and thighs.
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Violet CoCo described being held at gunpoint, stripped of her clothing, and confined in a shipping container where she endured beatings and sexual assault before being thrown into a prison yard.
Israel’s ambassador to Australia, Hillel Newman, has rejected the claims and dismissed the probe as futile, saying there was no sexual humiliation or sexual assault. He said, “You can’t wake up any morning and be accused of rape, and then you have to go and prove that you didn’t do it.”
The allegations emerged after Australian activists recently returned home following their detention during the Gaza-bound flotilla operation.
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