The IDF has found the bodies of three hostages, including Nova Festival partygoer Shani Louk, from the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli military, who also found the bodies of Itzhak Gelerenter, 57 and Amit Buskila, 28, said they were recovered during an overnight operation carried with Shin Bet, an Israeli intelligence agency.
While the IDF did not share details on where their bodies were found, local media reported that they were found in a tunnel in Jabalia, in the north of the Gaza Strip.
All three attended the Nova Festival near kibbutz Re’im on October 7, one of the first sites to be attacked by Hamas on its deadly incursion into Israel.
Daniel Hagari, and IDF spokesperson said that their families have all been notified of their deaths, confirmed after formal identification.
Images of Shani, 22, (pictured) splashed the front covers of newspapers across the world, after video footage emerged of Hamas parading her semi-naked body around in the back of a truck on October 7
This evening, the Hostages Families Forum Headquarters, which represents relatives of the kidnapped citizens, paid tribute to the deceased and said they ‘bow their heads in deep sorrow and with broken hearts’ following the news.
A statement to MailOnline said: ‘The families of the 129 hostages and the Hostages Families Forum Headquarters bow their heads in deep sorrow and with broken hearts following the announcement of the murder of Shani Louk, Itzik Gelernter, and Amit Buskila, may their memories be a blessing, by Hamas terrorists.’
Th statement continued: ‘ The return of their bodies is a painful and stark reminder that we must swiftly bring back all our brothers and sisters from their cruel captivity – the living to rehabilitation, and the murdered to a proper burial.’
Palestinian militants drive back to the Gaza Strip with the body of Shani Louk, a German-Israeli dual citizen, on October 7
Images of Shani, 22, splashed the front covers of newspapers across the world, after video footage emerged of Hamas parading her semi-naked body around in the back of a truck on October 7.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the deaths of the three revelers ‘heartbreaking,’ adding: ‘We will return all of our hostages, both the living and the dead.’
Shani was seen dancing at the Nova Festival, where she was one of 364 people slaughtered by Hamas.
Her father spoke out in defense of the award given to an AP photographer who captured the chilling moment the half-naked body of his 22-year-old daughter was paraded across Gaza by Hamas.
His remarks come after friends said they were shocked that the photograph had won the prestigious award and were in tears.
The decision to award AP photographer Ali Mahmud the oldest photojournalism gong by Reynolds Journalism Institute last week, where he placed first in ‘Team Picture Story of the Year,’ sparked outrage.
The photo depicts five armed Hamas members in a pickup truck, one of whom is resting his feet on murdered Louk’s limp, mutilated body. Further footage shows the terrorists parading her body in Gaza amidst cheering crowds with one spitting on her remains.
But Louk’s father, Nissim, said: ‘It’s good that the photo won the prize’.
‘This is one of the most important photos in the last 50 years,’ he told Ynet.
Amit Buskila (pictured) was also found dead in Gaza
Itzhak Gelerenter was found by the IDF
Shani was one of the roughly 1,200 people killed on October 7 by Hamas
Shani with her mother Ricarda (pictured, left)
Shocking footage shared on social media showed Palestinian fighters parading Shani’s naked body on the back of a pick-up truck
Louk’s father, Nissim, acknowledged the historical importance of the photo and the inevitability of the emotional weight it carries for him and his family.
He expressed a firm belief that his daughter’s photograph will leave a mark on human history, considering it a symbol of the current era and hopefully serving as documentation for generations to come.
‘These are some of the photos that shape human memory, the Jew raising his hands, the paratroopers at the Western Wall, photos that symbolize an era,’ he continued. ‘This documentation of Shani, and of Noa Argamani on the motorcycle, they symbolize this era. I think it’s a good thing to use it to inform the future.’
‘If I start crying, what will come of it? This is history. In 100 years they will look and know what happened here. I travel the world and everyone knows who Shani is,’ he told Ynet.
But her mother said she was horrified by the picture, saying it forced her and her family to relive the trauma of losing their loved one.
Shani was seen dancing at the Nova Festival, where she was one of 364 people slaughtered by Hamas
Shani Louk’s father spoke out in defense of the award given to an AP photographer who captured the chilling moment the half-naked body of his 22-year-old daughter was paraded across Gaza by Hamas
But her mother said she was horrified by the picture
Ricarda told the Telegraph: ‘[It is] ‘traumatic for all of us. Just try to imagine seeing your loved girl lying half-naked and lifeless on the truck with those savages around her.’
‘Seeing those pictures again because of the contest makes our family relive the pain,’ said Ms Louk.
The 53-year-old added that her family were not told in advance that the photo was being put forward for an award, which she said ‘made me angry’.
‘The fact they celebrated this photo with a prize makes us hurt even more because really, it’s like celebrating that they were killed.
‘I mean, the whole massacre is celebrated. It’s not by chance that they chose this picture so it hurts us even more.’
The IDF has largely been operating in and around Rafah, the last standing city of the Gaza Strip, and has claimed intelligence suggests hostages are being held there.
Hamas killed around 1,200 people, almost all of whom were civilians, and kidnapped around 250 people on October 7.
Roughly half have since been freed in swaps for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel during a week-long ceasefire in November.
Israel says there are around 100 more hostages still alive somewhere in Gaza, along with the bodies of 30 more.
Israel’s campaign in Gaza since the attack has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials.
More to follow.