The Israeli military has recovered the bodies of three individuals, including Shani Louk, who were killed in the massacre at the Nova music festival on Oct. 7. Shani Louk’s body was photographed being carried away in a pickup truck by Hamas terrorists.
Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the Israel Defense Forces spokesman, stated in a press conference that the three individuals were killed on the day of the Hamas massacres that initiated the war. Their bodies were taken into the Gaza Strip by Hamas as leverage.
“Shani Louk, Amit Bouskila, and Yitzhak Gelerenter were murdered by Hamas while trying to escape the Nova music festival on Oct. 7,” said Hagari emotionally. “They were celebrating life at the festival, and they were tragically killed by Hamas.”
Israel’s Foreign Ministry confirmed Shani Louk’s death in late October. She was among the many young Israelis killed at the festival and has become a symbol of the tragedy. A video of her dancing before the raid went viral, and a photo of Hamas terrorists parading her body in a pickup truck has sparked both praise and controversy.
The announcement of the deaths coincided with Israel’s advancement into Rafah, the city on Gaza’s border with Egypt. The bodies were discovered through a joint operation by the army and the Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.
There are still over 130 individuals held captive by Hamas since Oct. 7, with their fate unknown. Families of the hostages have been advocating for a deal with Hamas to secure their release.