Shani Louk, Kidnapped from Music Festival by Hamas, Declared Dead

Shani Louk, the 23-year-old German-Israeli woman abducted by Hamas militants from the Nova music festival on October 7, has been declared dead, according to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The confirmation came after forensic examiners identified a bone fragment from her skull, found near the base of her skull, through a DNA test.

Shani Louk’s mother, Ricarda Louk, expressed her devastation, describing her daughter as a vibrant and lively person whose life was tragically cut short. Shani was attending the festival in southern Israel when Hamas militants breached the border between Gaza and Israel. Witnesses reported the horrifying scene where festivalgoers were attacked and Louk was kidnapped, tortured, and paraded around Gaza by the terrorists.

Louk’s mother recounted the terrifying moments when she last spoke to her daughter, who was stranded at the festival with limited places to hide due to the chaos caused by the attack. Louk’s abduction was part of a larger assault where more than 260 bodies were found at the festival site, and numerous hostages were taken back to Gaza.

Israeli efforts to rescue the hostages intensified, leading to the recent release of an Israeli soldier, Pvt. Ori Megidish, who had also been kidnapped by Hamas on the same day as Louk. However, concerns for the safety of the remaining hostages have escalated. Families of the hostages are pressuring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a “comprehensive deal,” demanding the release of their loved ones in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, numbering approximately 6,630 people.

Amid these developments, Hamas released a video showing three women believed to be captives held by the militant group. One of the women in the video addressed Netanyahu directly, though their exact circumstances remain unverified.

The situation continues to unfold, leaving the international community in shock and mourning the tragic loss of Shani Louk, a young woman whose life was taken in a senseless act of violence.