German Woman Kidnapped and Paraded Naked by Hamas Found Dead in Gaza
Shani Louk, a German woman who had been abducted by Hamas operatives on October 7, has been found dead by Israeli troops in Gaza, confirmed her family and the Israeli government today.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the death of my sister,” said her sister Adi Louk on social media.
The 23-year-old was taken hostage while attending the Supernova music festival near the Gaza border, which was targeted in a surprise Hamas attack on October 7.
Following her disappearance, Shani’s mother, Ricarda Louk, made a viral appeal to the German and Israeli governments to bring her daughter back. In a video, she said, “We were sent a video in which I could clearly see our daughter unconscious in the car with the Palestinians and them driving around the Gaza Strip.”
Shani was subjected to unimaginable horrors during her captivity, including being paraded naked in a pick-up truck. Videos circulated after the terror attacks showed her lying face down in the truck, and her family identified her through her dreadlocks and distinctive tattoos.
Israel expressed their condolences and said, “Shani, who was kidnapped from a music festival and tortured and paraded around Gaza by Hamas terrorists, experienced unfathomable horrors. Our hearts are broken.”
Shani was seen dancing and singing with her friends just hours before the Hamas group stormed into the festival. Israeli forces have intensified their ground offensive in Gaza in response to the Hamas attacks, which officials claim have resulted in the deaths of 1,400 people, mostly civilians, with an additional 239 people taken hostage.
According to the health ministry in Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas, over 8,000 people, mainly civilians and half of them children, have been killed in Israeli air and ground strikes.
