'Sadistic' Hamas fighters beheaded German tattoo artist Shani Louk: Israeli President

Israel-Hamas war: Israeli President Yitzchak Herzog on Monday night said that German tattoo artist Shani Louk, who was kidnapped by Hamas and whose body was paraded through Gaza, was beheaded by "sadistic" terrorists. 

In an interview with German media group BILD, he said, "Only now we got the note that Shani Louk has been confirmed as murdered and dead. They found her skull which means these barbaric sadistic animals simply chopped off her head." He also said that the identification took so long because "people were brutally abused, burned or dismembered". 

She experienced unthinkable horrors, the Israeli government said in a post on X formerly known as Twitter. "Our hearts are broken. May her memory be a blessing," the post read. Shani Louk was among those at the ill-fated Tribe of Supernova Music Festival in Israel when Hamas fighters invaded and attacked partygoers. More than 260 people were killed at the Tribe of Supernova Music Festival, according to Israeli media reports. 

Shani Louk's mother Ricarda Louk had confirmed her daughter's death in an interview with German news outlet RTL. "Unfortunately, we received the news yesterday that my daughter is no longer alive," Ricarda said. 

She was first reported missing by her cousin Tomasina Weintraub-Louk. "It was definitely Shani. She was at the music festival for peace. This is a nightmare for our family," Tomasina had said at the time. Tomasina's statement came after a video of a naked young woman with dreadlocks on the back of a pickup truck surrounded by Hamas fighters went viral on social media.

Ricarda Louk also said in a viral video message that a family friend in Gaza Strip told her that Louk is alive in a Hamas hospital. She added that her daughter's condition is critical and demanded that the German government act quickly. 

"We now have information that Shani is alive but has a serious head injury and is in critical condition. Every minute is critical. And we ask...no, we demand the German government to act quickly," Ricarda said in the video.

Shani's parents also told German news outlet Der Speigel at the time that they received information from her bank that her credit card was used in Gaza, implying that she might have been robbed.

On October 7, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, which led to the loss of 1,400 lives and kidnapping of 230 individuals. In response to attack by Hamas, Israel conducted counter operations in the Gaza Strip. The counter action by Israel has led to the loss more than 8,000 lives, as per the Gaza Health Ministry. 

Also Read: Israel-Hamas war: German woman Shani Louk paraded naked by Hamas fighters was robbed, credit card stolen, says report

Also Read: German woman, kidnapped by Hamas from music festival and paraded naked, found dead; Israel says...