The tragic demise of a young German-Israeli tattoo artist, Shani Nicole Louk, who was abducted by Hamas in Gaza, has been confirmed by Israel’s President Isaac Herzog. The 23-year-old woman was reportedly beheaded by her captors, a fact revealed by the discovery of her skull.
Herzog expressed his deep condolences to the bereaved family and condemned the brutal act in a conversation with the German newspaper, Bild. The president described the perpetrators as “barbaric, sadistic animals” who had not only attacked but also tortured and killed Israelis. The victim’s family also confirmed her death, which was verified through DNA testing on parts of her skull.
The president further commented on the situation at the Gaza-Israel border, describing it as a “slaughterhouse” rather than a pogrom. He spoke of the bloodshed and the unimaginable horrors that had unfolded.
Louk became a symbol of the atrocities committed by Hamas after she was kidnapped during a festival near Kibbutz Re’im. The incident occurred on October 7, a day that saw the death of over 1,400 people, predominantly civilians.
Ricarda Louk, the victim’s mother, confirmed the news of her daughter’s death to the German news agency dpa. Despite initial reports suggesting that her daughter had survived the attack, Ricarda now believes that Shani was killed on the same day, possibly by a gunshot to the head. She expressed relief that her daughter did not suffer.
The young woman’s body has not been found yet, but a fragment of her skull bone was discovered and submitted for DNA testing, which confirmed her death. The Tribe of Nova dance rave in the Negev Desert, where Louk was last seen, witnessed the death of over 260 people, as per the Israeli rescue service Zaka.
Louk had called her mother during the attack, informing her that she was trying to escape to her car. Later, her family came across a disturbing video showing her lifeless body in the back of a pickup truck surrounded by armed men. The men were seen chanting “Allahu Akbar” and parading her body around before taking her into the Gaza Strip.
Louk, who had spent part of her childhood in Portland, Oregon, was a resident of Israel. She had attended kindergarten at the Jewish Portland Academy.