08 October 2023 , 16:16
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A murdered woman whose semi-naked body was paraded in the back of a truck as cheering Hamas militants 'spat' on her has been identified as a 30-year-old tattoo artist, according to reports.
Shani Louk, from Germany, was attending a Nova Festival near the Gaza-Israel border when she was kidnapped by Hamas invaders when they attacked Israel in a surprise assault. So far, 480 people have been confirmed dead while more than 3,200 have suffered injuries ranging in severity.
In a horrifying video, her lifeless body was filmed splayed on the back of a truck driven by Hamas terrorists. Despite the group claiming Shani was an Israeli soldier, it has now been reported that the woman was tattoo artist Shani, who is a German citizen.
Hamas militants falsely claimed Shani Louk was an Israeli soldierSharing a distressing video begging for help, her mum Ricarda said: "This morning my daughter, Shani Nicole Louk, was kidnapped with a group of tourists in southern Israel by Palestinian Hamas. 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."
Shani's cousin Tomasina Weintraub-Louk told MailOnline that the family recognised her unique leg tattoos and dreadlocked hair. She said: "We have heard nothing. We are hoping for positive news. It is definitely Shani. She was at a music festival for peace. This is a nightmare for our family."
Israel strikes Lebanon and Gaza as leader warns enemies will 'pay heavy price'
It comes as Israel has said it is now at war with Hamas after militants fired thousands of rockets and sent dozens of fighters into Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip in the deadliest attack in Israel in years. Dozens of hostages have been captured by Hamas fighters after they infiltrated its heavily fortified border and catching citizens off guard. A number of Brits remain missing and are feared dead.
Nearly 500 people have been confirmed dead (AFP via Getty Images)Those attending the festival were getting ready for an all-night dance party celebrating the week-long Jewish holiday of Sukkot. But in the early hours of yesterday morning, all hell broke loose as people heard rockets overhead. A number of gunmen stormed the event, while those lucky enough to have escaped described how attackers opened fire, shooting anyone in their line of sight.
The terrifying attack was just one of several places targeted on Saturday morning in one of the biggest assaults inside Israel carried out by the Hamas group. Gili Yoskovich told the BBC : "They were standing next to the cars starting to shoot but I realised it was very easy to get killed...because everyone was going everywhere.
"Some people were shooting at me. I left the car and started to run, I saw a place with many pomelo trees and I went there. So I was in the middle [of this field] and I was lying on the floor. It was the second hiding place I found and they were just all around me."
She added the gunmen were "going tree by tree and shooting", and recalls seeing dead bodies everywhere. She lay in the same place for three hours as hundreds were killed in a spate of terrifying attacks.