Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said it killed the last Hamas operative accused of abducting and murdering a 22-year-old German-Israeli woman during the deadly attack in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
IDF on Tuesday identified the man as Tamer Mohammad Ibrahim Al-Zabaq, describing him as “a Hamas military wing terrorist who infiltrated Israel” and participated in the kidnapping and killing of Shani Louk.
“The terrorist was eliminated in order to remove the threat he posed,” IDF wrote on X.
Al-Zabaq most recently worked to plan attacks against Israeli civilians and troops, according to IDF. The Israeli military also accused him of rebuilding Hamas’ military capabilities in violation of a ceasefire.
Al-Zabaq, said IDF, was the last member of a five-person group in connection with Louk’s death who remained at large. They identified the four others as the following men:
Mustafa Shaheen — reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike on Oct. 10, 2023Basel Cheleh — reportedly killed on Dec. 6, 2023Attiya Daour — reportedly killed on Aug. 20, 2025Mustafa Ala Khatib — reportedly apprehended by Israeli security forces and held in custody
FILE – Ricarda Louk displays a photograph of her daughter Shani Louk, 22, who is a hostage of Hamas, prior to a meeting between Bundestag President Baerbel Bas and family members of Hamas hostages who are German citizens on October 19, 2023 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
Louk had been attending the Nova music festival near the Gaza border when Hamas-led militants unleashed the attack. The images of her half-naked body being paraded in a the bed of a truck through Gaza became among the most recognizable from the 2023 assault.
In late October of that year, Israeli authorities said Louk was among the nearly 1,200 people who were killed in the Hamas-led massacre. Israeli forces later recovered her remains in Gaza in May 2024 and returned them to Israel for burial.
Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of violating the truce and rebuilding its armed infrastructure. Hamas has accused Israel of violating agreements through ongoing military operations.