German Israeli who was taken hostage by Hamas has died, Israel says

A German Israeli woman who was seized by Hamas at a music festival on Oct. 7is dead, the Israeli government said on Monday.

"I am really sorry to report that we have now received news that Shani Nicole Louk has been confirmed murdered and dead," Israeli President Isaac Herzog told Germany's Bild newspaper.

"What we saw on the Gaza-Israel border goes far beyond a pogrom. We saw a slaughterhouse."

Louk, 22, was one of scores of people taken by the Hamas during a deadly assault on the Israeli military and civilian communities that according to Israeli officials killed 1,400 people, mostly civilians.

There were reports at the time that Louk wasparaded around Gaza by Hamas.

WATCH | Images appear to show Louk paraded by Hamas:

How the hostage crisis could upend the Israel-Hamas war | About That

12 months ago

Duration 9:43

WARNING: This video contains graphic content. Hamas has taken more than 100 Israelis hostage, including many civilians, and is threatening to execute one each time Israel launches airstrikes on Gaza without first warning civilians. Andrew Chang breaks down what we know about the hostages and how Israel must calculate moves to secure their return.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose government has staunchly supported Israel as it mounted an offensive against Gaza in retaliation, said Hamas had to be held accountable.

"For me, this news is terrible," Scholz said during an official visit to Nigeria. "This shows all the barbarism that lies behind Hamas."

Hamas has not commented on Louk's fate. The circumstances of her death were not immediately clear.

The German government confirmed on Monday that a German national had died but did not offer specifics.

A family source told Reuters that a part of a body that had been foundwas matched to Louk's DNA.

Her family initially thought she was alive but injured when she was snatched from the music festival but now believe she was killed on the same day, possibly shot in the head, German broadcaster RTL/ntv said.

"At least she didn't suffer," her mother,Ricarda Louk, told RTL/ntv.