Shani Louk, a 23-year-old German tattoo artist and hair stylist, was among the hundreds of victims of the surprise attack by Hamas terrorists on Israel on Saturday. The way her body had to be identified is absolutely heartbreaking, and shows how this tragic situation is destroying families all around the world.
How the Naked Body of Shani Louk was Identified After She was Kidnapped in Israel
Her family confirmed her identity after seeing her distinctive leg tattoos and dreadlocked hair in a graphic video that showed her naked body being dragged through the streets of Gaza on the back of a Hamas truck.
Louk, who also holds Israeli citizenship, was attending an outdoor dance party near Kibbutz Urim, a suburb in the city of Ofakim in southern Israel, when Hamas fighters stormed the area and opened fire at the attendees. Many of them were killed or wounded, while others were taken hostage and transported to Gaza. Louk’s partner, Moshe Or, was also among the captives.
According to Israeli media reports, Louk’s mother, Ricarda, received a call from her daughter’s bank saying that her credit card had been used in Gaza after the attack. She also saw a video of her daughter unconscious in a car with Hamas militants driving around the Gaza Strip. She made a public plea for more information and help from the German government and the international community.
Is Shani Louk Dead?
At the moment there is no confirmation on whether Shani Louk is dead or alive. In the video posted online she appeared to be still alive, but in very bad condition. However, recent posts on her Instagram seem to insinuate that she might have died, although there is no official confirmation of that yet.
In this post part of the Latin hymn called Requiem, which is used in the Catholic liturgy for the Mass of the Dead was used over her photo.
Other posts used broken heart emojis, and displayed videos of her enjoying life in Israel before the tragic situation took place.
Hamas claimed that it had captured several Israeli soldiers and civilians, and that it was holding them in various locations throughout the Gaza Strip. The militant group said that it launched the attack as part of its armed resistance against Israel, which it vowed to destroy.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel was at war with Hamas, and that it would respond with a counteroffensive to rescue the hostages and restore security. He said that Hamas was responsible for the wellbeing of the captives, and that Israel would “settle the score with anyone who harms them”. He also expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and his solidarity with the German government and people.