The distraught father of Shani Louk said on Monday that his son "did not suffer" and "was killed on the spot" by Hamas terrorists after being kidnapped. Nissim Louk's 22-year-old daughter Shani was shot by Hamas terrorists on October 7, while she was dancing with her friends at the Nova electronic festival outside Kibbutz Reim.
Shani and her friends tried to flee the massacre in their car, according to Nissim Louk, but 10 minutes later, they were confronted by armed Hamas terrorists who opened fire on the car, killing his daughter "instantly." His daughter "did not suffer," he claimed. Shani's video went viral after her body was paraded naked on a truck.
Shocked family Mourns
Israeli President Yitzchak Herzog said on Monday that the young festivalgoer suffered a severe injury involving her skull's base, creating uncertainty about the exact circumstances of Shani's death.
"I am truly sorry to report that we have now received news that Shani Nicole Louk has been confirmed murdered and dead. Her skull has been found," Herzog told the German newspaper Bild.
"This means that these barbaric, sadistic animals simply chopped off her head as they attacked, tortured and killed Israelis. It is a great tragedy and I extend my deepest condolences to her family."
Shani's family had been waiting helplessly for word that their beloved daughter had survived the Hamas attack and might be set free by the terrorists for almost three weeks.
However, her distraught mother and sister broke the news they had been dreading earlier today.
"Unfortunately we got the news yesterday that my daughter is no longer alive,' mother Ricarda said on German broadcaster RTL. Shani's sister Adi wrote on Instagram that she 'announced with great sadness the death of my sister."
It's unclear what exactly led to Shani's death. The German-Israeli was paraded naked around the streets in front of mocking crowds who spat on her lifeless body in sickening scenes.
It was unclear from the video whether Shani was alive, but her mother later confirmed that she was alive and being held in a Gaza hospital. However, her family now suspects that Shani was fatally shot on the same day, potentially in the head.
Father's Chilling Claims
Shani's father said that his daughter was fatally shot ten minutes after leaving the festival, implying that she might have already been dead in the footage showing her lying still in the back of the truck.
"Until about 6.45am [on October 7], Shani was still dancing, cheering and going wild at the party and was surrounded by all her best friends," Nissim Louk told Israeli news site N12. He mentioned that their family made an anxious call to Shani after hearing reports of missiles in the area, prompting her to escape in her car.
Louk claimed that his 22-year-old daughter was speeding down the road in an attempt to escape from the terrorists, but the gunmen fired at her vehicle.
"She was killed on the spot and not only did she not suffer - ten minutes earlier she was still enjoying herself," Nissim Louk said.
Shani's mother Ricarda told RTL: "At least she didn't suffer."
The family's statements come after the Israeli President claimed that Shani had been killed by the terrorists and decapitated, with a part of her skull found. The exact location where her skull was found remains unknown.
As per Shani's cousin's statement to the Jerusalem Post, the Israeli Defense Forces informed the family that they found a bone from the base of the 22-year-old's skull. The IDF and Zaka emergency response team volunteers confirmed that the skull bone, crucial for survival, was a match with Shani's DNA.
Shani and her friends were unaware of the black-clad paragliders descending on the festival's surrounding fields with grenades and machine guns during the music event on October 7. However, the revelers soon heard air raid sirens and witnessed rockets streaking overhead.
Shani was among the several festival attendees who were kidnapped during the brutal attack that resulted in the deaths of 260 people. Disturbing video footage showed her unconscious body placed in the back of a truck, surrounded by four shouting terrorists, while her leg was positioned unnaturally.
Shani's boyfriend, Orión Hernández Radoux, a Mexican native, is also believed to have been abducted by terrorists during the assault.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose administration has steadfastly backed Israel as it launched an attack against Gaza in retribution, said Hamas must be held responsible for Shani's death.
