IsraelAtWar: Girl kidnapped by Hamas and seen semi-naked in pickup truck identified as German tattoo artist

The victim in a semi naked state and appearing almost lifeless in a pick-up truck has been confirmed as that of Shani Louk and after identifying her daughter, the mother of the girl, released a statement appealing for her release and information.

She confirmed she had seen her daughter on the video and requested people for more information.

CNN has confirmed the identity of the woman as Shani Louk, and said she is a German-Israeli dual national. Her cousin confirmed to the Washington Post that Louk attended the music festival for peace near the Gaza border fence in Israel on Oct  5.

Shani Louk was among the hundreds of victims in Israel when Hamas targeted a dance party near Kibbutz Urim and other Israeli communities, according to the New York Post.

The terrorists were hollering “Allahu Akbar” — Arabic for “God is Great” as they paraded her apparently still body around, NY Post reported.

In the video, Louk appears dead while a grenade-wielding militant has her leg on her waist, while another militant was holding her dreadlocks, said media reports. 

One man is seen spitting on Louk’s head as the vehicle drives off.

“We recognized her by the tattoos, and she has long dreadlocks,” Louk’s cousin told the Washington Post. “We have some kind of hope … Hamas is responsible for her and the others.”

The whereabouts and condition of Shani is still unknown.

Shani Louk is a 30-year-old German citizen and had a mixed ethnic background, with a Jewish father from Poland and a Christian mother from Germany, media reports said.

Shani is a tattoo artist and hair stylist, according to social media accounts that are assumed to be hers. 

Israeli Hostages:

A large number of Israeli civilians and soldiers have been held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip while many are presumed dead, according to the Israeli military  spokesman Lt Col Jonathan Conricus.

 

Children, women, the elderly and the disabled were among those taken, he added, quoted the BBC.

"These are numbers that were up until now unimaginable," he said. "This will shape the future of this war," he added.