Headline: Families of Abducted Victims in Hamas Attack Experience Silence, Uncertainty, and Pain
Paris – The families of over 100 people who were apparently abducted in Hamas’s murderous onslaught in Israel are enduring a horrific wait filled with silence, uncertainty, and pain. Many of them are desperately hoping for any news regarding the well-being of their loved ones.
Ricarda Louk, a mother from Germany, recognized her 22-year-old daughter, Shani, in a video where she was stripped and battered, in the company of Hamas terrorists. According to Louk, her daughter, who holds dual Israeli-German nationality, is alive but in critical condition with a severe head injury. Louk is urging the German government to act swiftly, emphasizing that every minute is crucial for her daughter’s survival.
Louk initially raised the alarm after spotting her daughter’s distinctive tattoos and dyed hair in videos circulating online. The videos showed a seemingly unconscious woman lying face down in the back of a truck filled with armed men. The incident occurred when Hamas terrorists attacked a music festival in southern Israel near the Gaza Strip, resulting in the death of at least 260 attendees.
Kanyarat Suriyasri, a wife from Thailand, was devastated to learn that her husband had been taken hostage by Hamas. Her husband, Owat Suriyasri, had moved to Israel in 2021 in search of better wages to support their family. Kanyarat expressed her heartbreak, stating that she is eagerly awaiting good news. If given the chance, she said, she would hug her husband. Hamas’s offensive in Israel claimed the lives of 18 Thai nationals, inflicting a heavy toll on a country that has rarely been involved in major international conflicts.
Julio Rubio, originally from Colombia, fears his 26-year-old daughter has also been abducted by Hamas. Having moved to Israel in the 1990s to escape the violence caused by drug cartels in Colombia, Rubio received a phone call from his daughter Ivonne during the music festival attack. She informed him about the war-like situation and her intention to find shelter. However, Rubio has not heard from her since. Ivonne is a mother and the partner of Antonio Mesias Montano, who is also missing.
Rubio and his family relocated to Israel over three decades ago, seeking peace and stability. Unfortunately, they have now found themselves trapped in another wave of violence. In the recent Hamas rampage, approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed, and hundreds were taken captive. Israeli forces have retaliated by targeting Hamas infrastructure, resulting in the deaths of around 1,100 Palestinians in Gaza. Israeli sources claim that they have also eliminated approximately 1,500 Hamas terrorists who infiltrated their territory.
As the families of the abducted victims endure this harrowing ordeal, they cling to hope and pray for the safe return of their loved ones. The international community is urged to take action and put an end to this cycle of violence and suffering.