Shani Louk's Mother Asks for the Public Help in Finding Her. She Was Last Seen Naked on the Back of a Pickup Truck in Gaza

The mother of Shani Louk, the 32 year old woman whose body was seen on video in the back of a pick-up truck driven by Palestinian terrorists to Gaza, released a statement earlier today. Speaking in German while displaying Shani's picture on her phone, Ricarda Louk appealed for help to find her daughter.

She confirmed she had seen her daughter on the video and asked the public for help with more information. She displayed her daughter's identity papers, which indicated her nationality is German.

Speaking to Anderson Cooper on CNN 10.9.23, Ricarda Louk confirmed that her daughter, a dual German Israeli citizen, was kidnapped to Gaza and was the woman seen in those famous images. She said that Shani’s credit cards were used in Gaza, but other than that they have heard nothing.

32-year-old Shani Louk was a German citizen visiting Israel to attend the music festival for peace held near the Gaza border fence. Some reports say hundreds of participants in the music festival are now missing. Hamas claims to have 160 hostages in total, including elderly people and children.

The video with Shani Louk's mother may be seen at https://x.com/SMObserved/status/1711066477619789963?s=20

Some Middle East experts in the US have said that the reason Hamas took hostages, is that they hope the Israelis will negotiate with them. After all, said former US ambassador to Iraq Jeffrey James, the Israelis gave up the entire Sinai Peninsula to Egypt after a surprise attack 50 years ago. "They think, who knows what they might give up now," James said.

Gaza has two million people. Jobs are scarce after a 17 year blockade from both their neighbors. Egypt and Israel instituted a blockade after Hamas came to power in the last election ever held, in 2006. The currency is the New Israeli Shekel, and there is little in the way of a local economy. Several thousand people have daily jobs in Israel, an important source of currency for the entire 123 square mile enclave.