The world watched in shock last night as reports emerged that Shani Louk, a 23-year-old Israeli woman, had been kidnapped by Hamas and was declared dead.
Ms Louk was reported missing on February 6th, while attending a music festival near the Gaza border. Despite a widespread search and growing social media campaign, there had remained no trace of her whereabouts until now.
The Israeli military released a statement declaring Ms Louk’s death and saying they had evidence that Hamas was behind the abduction. Hamas has denied any involvement in the disappearance of Ms Louk and referred to the statement as a “malicious accusation”.
Ms Louk’s family have since released a statement expressing their grief, saying “we are shocked and in disbelief that our beloved Shani has been so wickedly taken from us. We grieve for her, and for all that she could have been”.
Her family suggested that they were made aware of the situation before the public announcement. “We say yet again that we would have liked to have been kept informed by the Israeli government about the investigation rather than finding out through media outlets”, they said.
The absence of any immediate action taken by the government has sparked outrage among the Israeli public, with some criticising the authorities for not taking swift action to recover Ms Louk and bring her home safely.
The tragic story of Ms Louk’s disappearance serves as a reminder of the dangers that exist for young people in the area and the difficulties of attempting to keep peace between two hostile countries. Our hearts go out to Ms Louk’s family and friends, and we hope that the international community can come together to ensure that no other family has to suffer in such a way in the future.