Hamas victim Shani Louk’s dad defends decision to award photo of daughter’s body being paraded, calls it ‘important’

The father of Shani Louk, a murdered Israeli hostage who was paraded around by Hamas terrorists through the streets of Gaza, defended the decision to award the photographer who captured the horrific moment. Nissim Louk said that it is “one of the most important photos in the last 50 years.” Louk, 23, was a German-Israeli tattoo artist who was abducted by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

Hamas victim Shani Louk’s dad has defended the decision to award a his photo of daughter’s body being paraded (REUTERS/Tomer Appelbaum) (REUTERS)

An uncensored Associated Press photo showed Louk’s lifeless, half-naked body kept in a white pickup truck surrounded by armed Hamas terrorists. The photo, taken by AP and freelance photographer Ali Mahmud, is part of a collection of pictures that secured the outlet the first place in one of the Pictures of the Year International award categories.

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The photo winning an award drew criticism, but Louk’s father has defended the decision. The photo contest is hosted by the Missouri School of Journalism every year.

‘One of the most important photos in the last 50 years’

“It’s good that the photo won the prize, this is one of the most important photos in the last 50 years,” Nissim told Israeli news outlet Ynet. “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.”

Nissim also referenced to Noa Argamani, an Israeli student whose abduction was caught on a video. She was seen screaming for help, her arms stretched towards her boyfriend, who was also kidnapped. Both of them are now believed to be hostages in Gaza.

“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,” Nissim said.

Nissim said that the photo of the daughter symbolises the barbarism that Hamas terrorists are capable of. “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 said.

Photographer Ali Mahmud won the top prize for “Team Picture Story of the Year” during the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute at the Missouri School of Journalism contest.

While it was initially believed that Louk survived the attack, her decapitated head was found many days after her abduction. Her mother believes she may have been murdered the day she was abducted, and likely due to a gunshot wound to her head. It was reported in November that one of the terrorists who paraded Louk’s body and spit on it was killed by the Israeli Defense Force.