The Israel Defense Forces has recovered the bodies of three Israeli hostages in Gaza, including that of Shani Louk, who became an international symbol of Hamas’ savagery after images showed her being paraded around half-naked in the back of a pickup truck during the Oct. 7 attacks.
Spokesman Daniel Hagari announced Friday that the IDF recovered Louk, 22, and two additional victims of the music festival massacre, Amit Buskila, 28, and Itzik Gelernter, 58, during the Rafah operation.
“Shani Louk, Amit Buskila and Yitzhak Gelernter were kidnapped and murdered by Hamas terrorists on October 7 from the Nova Music Festival,” the IDF said in a statement.
“Overnight, our troops recovered their bodies and brought them back home to Israel. We will continue operating to bring all of our hostages.”
Shani’s family reportedly learned she had been found Friday morning. Her father, Nissim Louk, told Israel’s Channel 13 TV that her body was discovered in a cool, deep tunnel and was in good condition when she was brought home.
He said it was a “gift” that they were able to give their daughter a peaceful burial in Israel.
“There will be a place to lay a wreath, maybe build something in her memory,” he said. “Shani radiated light in her life,”
More than 360 Israeli revelers were murdered by militants at the Nova festival, which became a key target in the terror group’s unprovoked surprise attack on the Jewish state.
Louk was one of around 40 Israeli hostages seized during the bloody assault on the music festival. Her family announced in late October that she had died at the hands of Hamas, with Israel’s President Isaac Herzog later revealing to a German newspaper that she had been beheaded.
“My heart goes out in sympathy to the grieving and tormented families of the hostages Itzhak Gelerenter, Amit Buskila and Shani Louk, whose bodies were rescued from Gaza and will be brought for eternal rest in Israel,” Herzog wrote in an X post shortly after IDF announced the news.
At a pro-Israel event in Times Square on Tuesday, Nissim Louk, told The Post that the contrasting images of his daughter circulating in media reports have showed the world the “darkness” Israel is up against in its war with the terror group.
At a pro-Israel event in Times Square on Tuesday, Shani’s father, Nissim Louk, told The Post that the contrasting images of his daughter circulating in media reports have showed the world the “darkness” Israel is up against in its war with the terror group.
“This picture is very important because this picture shows from one side, Shani — beautiful, amazing, bright light to the world, and from the other side you see these militants in the pickup with machine guns that bring trouble and pain to the world and nobody can mix these two pictures,” the heartbroken father said in an exclusive interview.
“And whenever you don’t know who you are, you don’t know: ‘Am I the bad guy? Am I the good guy?’ You don’t know. Look at these pictures — and it immediately straightens everything out.”
https://nypost.com/2024/05/17/world-news/idf-recovers-three-dead-hostages-in-gaza-including-shani-louk-whose-half-naked-body-was-paraded-by-hamas-on-oct-7/
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