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In Memory of Shani Louk RIP

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In memory of Shani Louk RIP

Andreas from Germany

My name is Andreas and I would like to say a few words about Shani and what I learned from her about life and peace.
Day one with all the pictures I will never forget struck me to the deepest ground of my soul, shattered my heart. All those young lives so senselessly wasted, all this hatred and evil from hamas. Hamas broke all boundaries of humanity!
I prayed, I really prayed and feared so hard for Shanis safe return and of all the other hostages. What else could I have done, far away here in Germany?
When the war progressed, hate grew in my heart: that evil hamas needs to be erased from the face of earth, that threat shall never ever endanger again!
Then I saw an interview with Amit. I was deeply impressed by his very own and very strong decision, not to go on the path of hate and war, not to start the loop of hate, but to keep the peace.
This truly changed my mind and I felt ashamed. It would have been so easy to hate back. However, he decided not to.
Politicians take political actions, whether they seem appropriate or not, and change the fate between nations. Independent from this, every human being makes his own decision in his very own heart about war and peace, hate and love, about death and life. And this affects humans across nations. In political discussions I articulate this behaviour. There is already too much hate in the world.

Shanis joy about life and her pure positivity about life and humans is an example for me. Life is so precious, caring for others, even strangers, is important. And for this lesson I’m grateful. Thank you, Shani.
I hope more people are aware they can decide between light and the dark side, just on their own.
I wish you, Shani, all the best, wherever you are now. And so for her family and friends.

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In memory of Shani Louk RIP

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On October 7, 2023, during the Re’im music festival massacre, Shani Nicole Louk, a 22-year-old German-Israeli tattoo artist and influencer, lost her life. The event gained international attention when a video surfaced, showing her body being paraded through the streets of Gaza by Hamas militants in a pickup truck. Widely regarded as part of Hamas’s social media propaganda during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, the video became one of the initial viral incidents of the conflict. These globally-seen images came to symbolize the conduct of militants towards civilians in the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel.

The case of Shani Louk garnered additional attention through her family’s campaign. Her mother, Ricarda, initially claimed that she had information suggesting Shani was alive and in a Gaza hospital. This led to appeals to the German government, drawing responses from high-ranking officials. German authorities considered Shani Louk to be among their nationals taken hostage during the war. However, by the end of the month, Israel confirmed her death based on the discovery of a skull fragment on a road leading away from the festival grounds, indicating that she was killed during the attack.

Shani was born in Moshav Adrat near the Ella Valley, and at the age of two, she moved with her family to the settlement of Shrigim. She was the daughter of Ricarda, a native of Germany, and Nissim, an Israeli native. Before her, her older sister Adi (25) was born, followed by her brothers Amit (20) and Uri (14). “From a young age, it was clear that Shani was exceptionally creative,” her mother recounts. “She had an amazing talent for drawing and a unique taste in clothing, choosing to wear only clothes she loved. She was a joyful child with a huge heart, endlessly helping her family and friends. In every family gathering, she would entertain her cousins and organize activities for them.”

On October 7, 2023, Shani (Louk), a 23-year-old German-Israeli woman, was kidnapped by Hamas militants during the Nova music festival. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially declared her dead. The ministry shared the devastating news on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, stating, “We are devastated to share that the body of 23-year-old German-Israeli Shani (Louk) was found and identified.”

According to a source involved in the identification process, Louk’s death was confirmed after forensic examiners discovered a bone fragment from her skull. The fragment, found in the petrous part of the temporal bone at the base of the skull, was subjected to a DNA test, conclusively linking it to Shani Louk.

Ricarda Louk, Shani’s mother, described her daughter as a beautiful and lively person who enjoyed laughter and experiencing life. Louk was attending the festival in southern Israel when Hamas breached the border between Gaza and Israel. She was kidnapped, tortured, and paraded around Gaza by Hamas terrorists, as stated in the foreign ministry’s announcement.

The circumstances surrounding the October 7 attack, coupled with a video showing Louk unconscious on the back of a Hamas truck, led investigators to conclude that the bone fragment belonged to her. The attackers blocked off the road to the festival, swarmed the site on foot, and encircled the crowds, resulting in numerous casualties.

Ricarda Louk shared that the festival, initially a celebration, turned into a nightmare. She recounted the agonizing three weeks of uncertainty following her daughter’s abduction, emphasizing the emotional vacuum of not knowing Shani’s fate.

The Nova festival site saw more than 260 bodies, according to Israeli rescue service Zaka. However, CNN’s analysis suggests the total death toll could be higher.

Shani Louk’s death was officially declared on October 30. The family, still unable to conduct a funeral as most of her remains are held by Hamas, expressed some closure, knowing she did not suffer. Shani’s father, Nissim Louk, reflected on her joyful moments before the attack, while her brother, Amit Louk, highlighted her love for music, tattoos, and her artistic nature.

Ricarda Louk, speaking to i24 news, emphasized remembering Shani in her happiest moments—a loving person with a huge heart who lived a good and happy life.

Shani Louk, at 22, tragically lost her life during the October 7 attack, becoming indelibly associated with the Hamas massacre and mass kidnapping rampage. Her sister Adi confirmed her death on Instagram, stating, “It is with great sadness that we announce the death of my sister, Shani Nicole Z.L., who was on October 7, 2023, at the party massacre in Re’im.”