Shani Louk

About Shani Louk

Shani Nicole Louk was a German-Israeli tattoo artist, freelance artist, and social media influencer based in Tel Aviv, Israel. She held dual citizenship (Israeli father, German mother), was known for her vibrant personality, distinctive dreadlocks and tattoos, and pacifist views (she obtained an exemption from Israeli military service). She attended the Supernova (Nova) music festival near Kibbutz Re'im on October 7, 2023, where she was among the victims of the Hamas-led attack and massacre that killed around 360 people at the event.
She was killed on October 7, 2023, at age 22 during the Nova music festival massacre in southern Israel. Video footage showed her near-naked body (limbs at unnatural angles, appearing unconscious or deceased) being paraded on a pickup truck through Gaza by Hamas militants, which went viral and became a symbol of the atrocities. Her death was initially listed as missing/kidnapped, but on October 30, 2023, Israeli authorities (via the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute) and her family confirmed she was dead based on a recovered fragment of her skull (petrous part of the temporal bone, a basal skull bone indicative of fatal injury when dislodged). DNA testing matched it to her. Reports and family statements indicate she was likely shot in the head (fatal gunshot wound) during the initial attack while trying to escape, possibly before or during abduction attempts; her body was taken to Gaza postmortem. Her full remains were recovered by Israeli forces in May 2024 during an operation in Gaza and returned for burial. Initial reports of decapitation (e.g., from President Herzog) were clarified as fears due to the skull fragment, not confirmed full decapitation.