Mother of tattoo artist missing after Hamas attacks says daughter is alive in Gaza hospital

Shani Louk was believed to have been killed by Hamas terrorists in weekend attack on music festival in Israel

The mother of a tattoo artist, believed to have been killed by Hamas terrorists at a music festival, has claimed her daughter is alive but in critical condition.

Shani Louk, 22, was recognised by her distinctive tattoos and dreadlocks as the partially naked body inside a pick-up truck that was paraded through the streets by Palestinian gunmen.

She and her friends had been attending the Supernova festival just three miles from the Gaza border when they were caught in the crossfire during Saturday’s shock attack.

Shani Louk’s mother has claimed she is alive in a Gaza hospital (Sourced)

Her mother Ricarda Louk has now told German outlet Bild: “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!” she declared in a message directed at German officials. “We shouldn’t argue about questions of jurisdiction now!”

Clips on social media had shown Ms Louk, a German citizen raised in Israel, dancing and singing with her friends just hours before Hamas militants crossed into Israeli territories and opened fire on partygoers.

Around 260 bodies have been retrieved from the festival site, with numerous others missing while Hamas claims to have taken around 100 people captive.

Burnt cars are abandoned in a carpark near the Hamas festival attack (REUTERS)

During a media appeal over the weekend, Ms Louk’s mother held a picture of her daughter and said: “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.”