Who is Shani Louk, German Israeli woman Hamas paraded on a truck

Posted by Zora Stowers on Wednesday, May 22, 2024

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Shani Louk, a young German Israeli tattoo artist, quickly became one of the faces of the war against Hamas after graphic viral footage showed terrorists parading her near-naked body through the streets in the back of a pickup truck.

Louk, 23, was confirmed dead on Oct. 30, Israeli officials said.

She had not been seen or heard from since she was among the scores of people taken hostage by Hamas at the Israeli music festival three weeks prior.

While her family initially held out hope she was alive and in a hospital in Gaza, Israel said she had been shot and “beheaded” at some point after the music festival attack.

“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.

Louk, who lived in Israel but spent part of her childhood in Portland, Ore., had been seen dancing with fellow revelers in a video posted online shortly before the attack.

Here’s what we know about the young woman so far:

Where was she when Hamas attacked?

Louk was among the revelers attending the Tribe of Nova dance rave in the Negev Desert, close to the Gaza Strip, when Hamas terrorists launched their sneak attack — killing at least 260 at the festival and leaving countless others injured.

Shani Louk, a young German Israeli tattoo artist, was among those taken hostage when Hamas terrorists stormed an Israeli dance festival. Instagram/hanukkk

The tattoo artist was captured on video dancing happily among fellow festivalgoers just a short time before the massacre unfolded.

Her mother, Ricarda Louk, told German news outlet Bild that she last spoke to her daughter at the festival as gunfire rang out in the background.

She added that she lost contact when the young woman took cover in bushes.

Follow along with The Post’s live blog for the latest on Hamas’ attack on Israel

Viral video: Parading her body like a trophy

Hours after the attack, disturbing video emerged of Hamas showing off the body of an unconscious woman — who had been stripped naked — as a gruesome trophy.

The terrorists could be heard screaming “Allahu Akbar!” (“God is great!”) as they drove through the streets in the truck.

As the footage quickly went viral online, Louk’s family recognized the battered young woman, whose face was obscured, due to her distinctive tattoos and dreadlocks.

Louk was among the revelers attending the Tribe of Nova dance rave in the Negev Desert, close to the Gaza Strip, when Hamas terrorists launched their sneak attack. Facebook/Avivit Nissan
The tattoo artist was captured on video dancing happily among fellow festivalgoers just a short time before the massacre unfolded.
Hours after the attack, disturbing video emerged of the terrorists showing off the body of an unconscious woman — who had been stripped naked — as a gruesome trophy. Her family quickly identified the woman as Louk. AP

“This morning my daughter, Shani Nicole Louk, a German citizen, was kidnapped with a group of tourists in southern Israel by Palestinian Hamas,” Ricarda Louk said in a recorded message.

“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. I ask you to send us any help or any news. Thank you very much.”

At the time, Louk was reported to have been raped and killed by her attackers.

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