Hundreds attend funeral of Shani Louk, a symbol of the Hamas massacre
Shani Louk was among those killed at the Nova music festival in the October 7 invasion, with terrorists taking her body back to Gaza
Hundreds gathered to mourn Shani Louk, 22, at her funeral on Sunday, held at Moshav Srigim-Lion, south of Beit Shemesh.
Her body, along with those of Itzhak Gelerenter and Amit Buskila, was recovered Thursday evening by Israeli commandos during an operation led by the army and the Shin Bet, seven months after they were murdered by Hamas terrorists.
Shani Louk's father, Nissim, called on the public to attend the funeral, expressing deep grief and frustration over his inability to protect his daughter. "Our leaders always make the same mistakes," he lamented, quoting Albert Einstein: "Only fools repeat their mistakes and expect different results each time." He warned, "If they continue to make the same mistakes as in recent decades, we risk losing our country."
Louk's mother, Ricardo, spoke of her daughter's independent spirit and her love for travel. President Isaac Herzog, unable to attend the funeral, sent a message highlighting Shani's artistic and musical talents, which endeared her to many around the world.
Shani Louk became a symbol of the Hamas massacre after a video, released on October 7 and attributed to the terrorist group, showed her body in the back of a white van, her hair covered in blood. She was surrounded by armed men and paraded through the Gaza Strip. This harrowing image resonated globally, underscoring the brutality of the attack.
Louk, Gelerenter, and Buskila were among those attending the Supernova music festival near Kibbutz Re'im on October 7 when approximately 3,000 terrorists infiltrated Israel by land, air, and sea, killing 1,200 people and taking 252 hostages. The body of a fourth victim, Ron Benjamin, was also returned and announced on Saturday.