The young German Israeli tattoo artist whose body was paraded through the streets of Gaza after being kidnapped at an outdoor music festival by Hamas has been found dead, Israel announced Monday.
Shani Louk, 23, rushed to flee after Hamas struck the festival near Kibbutz Re’im, close to the Gaza Strip, on the morning of Oct. 7, blocking off roads to the festival before gunning down unsuspecting concert revelers.
“We are devastated to share that the body of 23-year-old German-Israeli Shani (Louk) was found and identified,” the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted on X on Monday.
“Shani who was kidnapped from a music festival and tortured and paraded around Gaza by Hamas terrorists, experienced unfathomable horrors,” the ministry wrote.
Louk’s mother, Ricarda Louk, told German broadcaster RTL/ntv that Israeli officials said a skull fragment had been as her daughter’s based on DNA evidence.
“May her memory be a blessing,” the statement said.
As terrorists inundated the festival, Louk called her mother to tell her she was trying to get to her car to leave. Hours later, Shani’s family came across disturbing footage of her seemingly lifeless body lying in the back of a pickup truck surrounded by armed men.
IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari told The Times of Israel on Sunday that 239 people had now been confirmed kidnapped in the October 7 attacks. The number does not include the 4 hostages released by Hamas.
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