Shani Louk, the German woman paraded semi-naked by Hamas, is 'still alive'

The young German woman who was paraded, semi-naked, through the streets of Gaza is alive but seriously injured, her family believe.

Shani Louk, 23, was identified by tattoos on her leg after footage emerged of Hamas fighters celebrating as she lay, motionless, in the back of their pick-up truck.

She was captured by the Islamist terrorists during their bloody assault on an Israeli music festival on Saturday. And many, including her close friends, believed she had since been killed.

However, her loved ones have since received information that she is alive but in a critical condition as the result of a serious head injury.

“We believe that she is alive but very badly injured on her head and needs to get immediate treatment outside Gaza,” Shani’s cousin Tom Weintraub Louk told The Times.

“I don’t believe that she is getting the right treatment. We want the German government to help. It’s the only way to do something now.

“Every second matters.”

Meanwhile, Shani’s mother, Ricarda Louk, released a video message confirming the update on her daughter’s condition and stressing that “every minute is critical”.

“We ask – no, we demand — that the German government act as quickly as possible,” she said.

Ricarda then described her video as a “desperate appeal” to the whole of Germany to “help me get my Shani back home”.

The family told The Times that a “reliable source” in Gaza had provided them with the news of Shani’s condition but they didn’t wish to provide further details.

The 23-year-old, whom Ricarda described as a “peace-loving” artist, was among the dozens of people kidnapped from the Supernova festival, where more than 260 others lost their lives.

In the now-notorious video of Shani surrounded by Hamas militants, one of whom is clutching a section of her dreadlocks, her hair is visibly matted with blood.

“Unfortunately we are afraid she is not recovering and not getting the right [...] life -saving treatment [that she needs],” another of her cousins told the paper.

Shani, a tattoo artist, has been described as 'loving' and happy with friends all over the world@shanukkk/Gianluca Iarlori Pics/Instagram

Describing how the family were coping, the unnamed cousin added: “We are very close. We grew up next door.

“We’re going from desperation to hope and trying to stay together.”

A spokesman for the Israeli Defence Forces said they couldn’t confirm whether or not Shani was alive, citing security concerns.

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