"Time is running out" for Shani Louk, the 22-year-old German woman thought to be among hostages taken to Gaza by Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants, her mother has said as she demonstrated in front of the German Embassy in Tel Aviv.
Speaking to the German Press Agency (DPA) on Wednesday, Ricarda Louk noted the widely anticipated Israeli ground offensive on the Palestinian territory—which could place those taken captive in increased danger—adding that they were "in the middle of a war zone."
Newsweek approached Ricarda Louk for further comment via direct message on Thursday.
Since around 1,500 Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing civilians, including children and the elderly, on October 7, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have conducted an intensive campaign of air strikes on Hamas targets in Gaza.
As of Thursday, at least 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, and the Israeli military says 222 people remain hostage in Gaza, according to the Associated Press. At least 6,546 Palestinians have been killed, it reported, citing the Gaza Health Ministry, while a further 100 are thought to have been killed in violence in the West Bank.
However, Israel has indicated it was preparing a much larger offensive in Gaza. On October 14, the IDF said it was "currently preparing to implement a wide range of operational offensive plans," including coordinated strikes by air, sea and land. On Thursday morning, Israeli tanks and ground troops briefly entered northern Gaza in what military officials described as a "targeted raid" to "prepare the battlefield."
Among the areas targeted by militants was a music festival taking place in Kibbutz Re'im in southern Israel which Louk, a tattoo artist, had been attending. At least 260 people were killed at the event, while others attempting to flee were taken by militants.
Louk was identified by her family as being the woman slumped in the back of a pick-up truck in widely-circulated footage from distinctive tattoos on her legs. At the time, it was unclear whether she was alive in the video, but her mother later said she had received evidence that Louk was alive.
On Tuesday, Hamas militants released two elderly hostages taken from Israel, which it said it had done on humanitarian grounds. Those released were Nurit Cooper, 79, and Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, from the Nir Oz kibbutz.
Their release comes after Hamas freed two other hostages, Judith and Natalie Raanan, an American mother and her teenage daughter, on Friday.
Louk's mother said the release of the hostages had given her "a bit of hope," but added that she still had no idea where her daughter was being held in Gaza. She told DPA that she had heard Louk was being treated in a hospital two weeks ago, but "we couldn't confirm that 100 percent."
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Aleks Phillips is a Newsweek U.S. News Reporter based in London. His focus is on U.S. politics and the environment. He has covered climate change extensively, as well as healthcare and crime. Aleks joined Newsweek in 2023 from the Daily Express and previously worked for Chemist and Druggist and the Jewish Chronicle. He is a graduate of Cambridge University. Languages: English.
You can get in touch with Aleks by emailing aleks.phillips@newsweek.com.
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