From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, October 17, 2023
Families of Gazan hostages with German citizenship thank Scholz for meeting
Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center
Family members of those taken captive by Hamas who hold German citizenship say they received strong backing from visiting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
“We thanked him warmly for his firm stance behind us,” says Gilli Roman, whose sister, Yarden Roman, is missing, during a Tel Aviv press conference. “We feel more affirmed with him here, he heard all the stories very patiently.”
Ricarda Louk describes what happened to her daughter, Shani Louk, who was taken captive by Hamas, her half-naked body thrown on the back of a pickup truck, bloody and unconscious, spit upon by passersby.
“It was just so humiliating and terrible to see,” says Louk. “Why do people behave like animals? I really have no explanation for this.”
Louk had received information that Shani was in Gaza, in a hospital being treated for her head injury, but that was the last she had heard.
“We expect to receive immediate information,” says Shaked Haran, who represented her extended family of ten. “Hamas can give information and is obliged to according to international law, it should be done immediately and requested immediately.”
