Parents of the Woman Killed in Hamas Captivity: 'Shani' Will Be Buried Close to Us

Nisim and Rikarda Luk, the parents of Shani Luk, the Israeli-German hostage killed in Hamas captivity, referred to the recovery of their daughter's body in Gaza and her burial in Israel as a 'gift.' Shani Luk, a 22-year-old tattoo artist, was attending the 'Nova' music festival with friends during the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 last year. A photo of her in the back of a pickup truck alongside several Palestinian militants during the attack had sparked outrage worldwide. On Friday, May 18, the Israeli army informed Nisim and Rikarda Luk that commandos had found her body in Gaza. According to Reuters, Mr. Luk stated that he looked at images to confirm that the recovered body was indeed his daughter’s. He added, 'We saw the moles on her hands. Now she will have her place next to us, and whenever we want, we can go there, and she can rest.' Nisim Luk mentioned that the funeral for his daughter would take place on Sunday, May 30, coinciding with his wife Rikarda's birthday. The father of the hostage killed in Hamas captivity said, 'I think Shani said, let’s give a gift to my mother on her birthday and let’s return and be close to her.' Rikarda, Shani's mother, also expressed that the proximity of her grave would be comforting to them. The Israeli army had confirmed Shani Luk's death last December. In the weeks following the Hamas attack, the Iran-backed group released videos of Shani Luk celebrating joyfully at the 'Nova' music festival on social media. Nisim stated that his daughter was very happy at the festival and, having a spirit of freedom, did not imagine that evil existed in the world. Rikarda also expressed regret over anti-Israeli protests at some universities in the U.S., stating that 'there is no resistance that can justify what happened there.' On the night of May 18, the Israeli army announced that the bodies of three hostages abducted by Hamas during the 'terrorist attack' on October 7 had been found in the Gaza Strip. The identities of the deceased hostages were confirmed as Shani Luk, 22, Amit Buskila, 28, and Itzhak Gelerntner, 56. Daniel Hagari, a spokesperson for the Israeli army, stated that these three were participants in the 'Nova' music festival. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also described the deaths of these citizens as 'heartbreaking,' adding, 'We will bring back all our hostages, whether they are alive or dead.' The Israeli army did not provide specific information about the exact location where the bodies of these three hostages were found. Israel is engaged in operations in Rafah and claims that the hostages are being held in that city. Following the Hamas attack on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the abduction of over 250 others, Israel launched an offensive in Gaza aimed at destroying this Iran-backed group and recovering the hostages. During negotiations mediated by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt last fall, over 100 abducted hostages were released, but approximately 130 Israeli hostages remain in Hamas captivity in Gaza, with Israel believing that at least 100 of them are still alive. Hamas officials have repeatedly emphasized that if capable, they would carry out similar attacks again. Without mentioning the number of its members killed as a result of the Israeli offensive in Gaza, Hamas claims that over 35,000 Palestinians living in Gaza have been killed and about 75,000 others wounded. Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of using civilians as human shields. The Persian section of Voice of America cannot independently verify or confirm the statistics provided by Hamas. The United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan, Israel, and several other countries have listed Hamas as a terrorist organization. As military operations intensify in the north, the entry of international aid into Gaza via a U.S.-built floating dock has begun. Simultaneous operations in northern and southern Gaza; the Israeli army: 150 Hamas militants were killed in Jabalia. Israel: The UN Security Council has not yet taken action to free hostages in Gaza. The Arab League has called for the deployment of UN peacekeeping forces to 'Palestinian territories.' The Palestinian Authority reports that three were killed in an Israeli raid in the West Bank. Netanyahu: I am not willing to replace 'Hamasistan' with 'Fatahistan.'