Shani Lauk’s father has defended the photo of his daughter being honored with the prestigious award, despite the controversy

Thomas Cox/AFP

Shani Luk’s cousin, here on Oct. 15, to demand the release of the girl, who was taken hostage by Hamas after an Oct. 7 attack on a rave party near Gaza.

International – ” The most important photo of the last 50 years “A photograph taken by the Associated Press Agency thus shows Israeli-German hostage Shani Luk lying in the back of a van and surrounded by Hamas gunmen during the October 7 attack in Israel.

The photo was awarded the Pictures of the Year International Photojournalism competition in mid-March. Team Picture Story of the Year » A lively controversy ensued. The girl’s presentation was deemed inappropriate due to her condition at the time the photo was taken.

This photo of Shani Lauk, who is now dead, has provoked angry reactions so far. “The Scandalous Desecration of Jewish Life”Reported by New York Post. Photographs of the 23-year-old before and during her abduction at the Tribe of Nova music festival near the Gaza Strip made her one of the faces and symbols of Hamas’ deadly attacks.

Despite the controversy, which comes almost five months after Shani Luk’s death was discovered and announced, her father Nissim defended the choice to award the photo. For the Israeli media Ynet, he confirmed that he ” Some photos that shape human memory (…), photos that symbolize an era “

“They will know what happened here”

And though it’s hard to see, he believes that ” 100 years they will see and know what happened here. I travel the world and everyone knows who Shani is “

The grieving father also raised the fate of another Hamas hostage, Noa Argamani, whose images of her crying while sitting on a motorcycle were also seen around the world after October 7. ” This documentation by Shani and the video by Noa Argmani on a motorcycle are symbols of this period. I really think it’s meant to shine a light on the future.”He adds.

Nissim Luk doesn’t hesitate to compare the life-and-death photo of his daughter in the back of this white car to the three paratroopers looking on in amazement or raising their hands at a Jewish child taken in the Warsaw Ghetto in 1943. The Western Wall, Israel was occupied in 1967.

Shani Luk’s death was made official by the Israeli army on 30 October, clarifying that he “ tormented » and ” had experienced unfathomable horror “

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