The mum of a young German woman thought to have been murdered by Hamas terrorists claims she's received a tip-off her daughter is still alive.
Shani Louk was believed to have been killed during Saturday's brutal attack on an Israeli music festival near Kibbutz Re'im, near the Gaza Strip, by the Palestine militant group. Viral videos emerged of the young woman's - thought to be in her 20s although reports on her age vary widely - partially clothed body being paraded through the streets on the back of a pick-up truck as onlookers spat on her.
Shani grew up in Israel but had a German passport and was among hundreds of partygoers at the Nova festival where the massacre of around 260 civilians took place. Earlier footage shows the tattoo artist happily dancing with a group of revellers. She was a peace campaigner and conscientious objector to military service.
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Her mum Ricarda Louk has now told German news outlet Bild, in a message directed at officials: "We now have evidence that Shani is alive but has a serious head injury and is in critical condition. Every minute is critical. You have to act quickly and get Shani out of the Gaza Strip! We shouldn’t argue about questions of jurisdiction now!"
Shani's aunt Orly Louk told Der Spiegel her niece had previously refused to undertake mandatory military service in Israel. Ricarda, meanwhile, released a heartbreaking video pleading for help in finding out what happened to her daughter. Holding a picture of Shani on her mobile phone, the desperate mum said on Sunday: "This morning my daughter, Shani Nicole Louk, a German citizen, 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." Despite Hamas claiming the unconscious woman being paraded as a trophy was an Israeli soldier, her family recognised Shani's leg tattoos and dreadlocks.
Shani last spoke to her parents during a phone call on Saturday morning, soon after Hamas launched its first rockets. However, they say they have been told Shani's credit card has since been used in Gaza. The music festival is one of the first sites attacked by the terrorists, who witnesses said went "tree by tree" executing people. Many survivors lay in terror for hours after the incident before armed rescuers arrived.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) today confirmed 900 Israelis have been killed since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on Saturday. Additionally, the bodies of 1,500 Hamas militants have been found on Israeli territory. A "significant number" of British-Israeli dual nationals have been caught up in the conflict in Israel and Gaza, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has said today.
Three Britons have so far been confirmed dead in the horror terror attacks in Israel. The families of Corporal Nathanel Young, 20, Bernard Cowan, 57, and Dan Darlington have all paid tribute to their loved ones.