Ricarda Louk has been enduring a harrowing nightmare ever since she identified her 22-year-old daughter Shani in a video where she appeared battered and undressed, surrounded by Hamas militants in the back of a truck. Shani, a dual Israeli-German national, was reported to be alive but in critical condition, suffering from a severe head injury.
Ricarda raised concerns about her daughter when she recognised her in videos shared online, identifying her by her tattoos and dyed hair. But Ricarda is now claiming that Shani is alive and is in a hospital in Gaza and is asking authorities to help find her daughter.
Families of many hostages remain in the dark about the fate of their loved ones held by militants in Gaza. Their agonising wait has been marked by silence, uncertainty, and heartache.
Shani Louk | Twitter
Ricarda's desperate plea for assistance
The videos of Shani depicted a partially clothed woman lying seemingly unconscious in the back of a truck in Gaza, accompanied by armed men. “Every passing minute is of utmost importance, and we are appealing to the German government for swift action,” Ricarda told FPJ in Tel Aviv.
Ricarda met the German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock who was on a visit to Tel Aviv and asked for intervention since Shani was a German citizen. “It was good to get the foreign minister's empathy and we hope she does something about my daughter. The hostages might be sick and need our help, we need to act quickly and decisively,” she added.
Tragic music festival attack
Shani was attending the Supernova Music Festival near the Gaza Strip in southern Israel when it was targeted by Hamas militants, resulting in the killing and abduction of attendees. The event witnessed the tragic loss of at least 260 lives. As of now, Israeli, German, and Palestinian authorities have not provided confirmation regarding Shani’s whereabouts or her status. “Shani was a music lover, she organised music festivals across the world, she had made friends easily,” Ricarda said.
Shani resides in Israel but spent part of her childhood in Portland, Oregon. Following the October 7 attack, she was initially feared to have suffered sexual assault and death. However, her family later made the astonishing assertion that she is alive and receiving medical care in a Gaza hospital.
