Nissim Louk, father of October 7 victim Shani Louk, exits Knesset race, endorses Ofer Winter

Nissim Louk, whose daughter Shani Louk was murdered by Hamas terrorists during the October 7 massacre at the Nova music festival, announced that he was withdrawing from the Knesset race and endorsing Ofer Winter's Amcha Israel party.

Louk, who had been running as part of the right-wing Orot Hashachar party, said he would now support Winter's election campaign.

In the three years since the October 7 attacks, Louk has advocated for stronger Israeli security policies and the migration of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.

Explaining his decision to back Winter, Louk said he was confident in the former IDF officer's leadership and his ability to implement a policy of full migration from Gaza.

"I believe that only one leader in this country is capable of carrying out and implementing full migration from Gaza, Ofer Winter," Louk said. "Ofer is a leader driven by purpose and faith, for whom Israel's security has always been and will always remain a guiding principle."

Louk also cited the fact that Winter's newly established party had no involvement in the events of October 7 as a key reason for his endorsement.

"Ofer Winter has a new party that was not part of the events of October 7, and I am proud to announce my support for him," Louk concluded.

IDF announces killing of Hamas terrorist involved in Shani Louk's kidnapping

Louk's announcement came on the same day the IDF confirmed it had killed a Hamas terrorist involved in his daughter's abduction during the October 7 massacre.

The military identified the terrorist as Tamer Mohammad Ibrahim Al-Zabaq, who crossed into Israel during the Hamas-led assault and took part in the attacks.

Al-Zabaq was killed Monday in an Israeli airstrike in the Jabalya area of northern Gaza, according to the IDF.

Shani Louk abducted from Nova music festival

Shani Louk, a 22-year-old German-Israeli tattoo artist, was among those attending the Nova music festival near Kibbutz Re'im when Hamas terrorists launched their assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

She was abducted during the attack, and early reports suggested she might still have been alive after being taken into Gaza.

Video footage that circulated widely following the massacre showed Hamas terrorists driving through Gaza with Louk's partially clothed body in the back of a pickup truck. The images prompted widespread concern about her condition.

In late October 2023, Israeli forensic authorities established that Louk had been killed after identifying a fragment of her skull.

Her remains were recovered by IDF forces during operations in Gaza in May 2024 and brought back to Israel for burial.