Shani Louk: Mother pleads for help as daughter goes missing at festival

A mother has pleaded for information about her daughter, who she believes was kidnapped by Palestinian militants at a festival near the Gaza Strip.

Shani Louk, a German tourist, had been attending a festival for peace when Hamas militants stormed the area.

Her mother says she saw a video of Shani "unconscious in a car" after being taken.

Holding up a picture of Shani on her mobile phone, her mother said in a video that her daughter had been "kidnapped with a group of tourists in southern Israel by Palestinian Hamas".

"We were sent a video in which I could clearly see our daughter unconscious in the car with the Palestinians and them driving around the Gaza Strip," she said.

"I ask you to send us any help or news. Thank you very much."

Other people are reported to be missing from the festival, including British citizen, Jake Marlowe, although the Israeli embassy in the UK told the BBC it did not know if he had been taken hostage.

His mother told news site Jewish News that he was working as security staff at the festival in Kibbutz Re'im, a community in the city of Ofakim, not far from Gaza.

Videos posted on social media appeared to show an Israeli woman, identified as Noa Argamani, who also attended the event, being kidnapped and held on a motorcycle by two men.

Fighting is ongoing after Israel was hit with a surprise attack by Hamas this weekend.

The Palestinian militants launched a wave of rocket attacks and fighters stormed into Israel on Saturday morning, which have left hundreds dead and thousands more wounded.

Hundreds have also been killed on the other side following Israeli air strikes according to the health ministry in Gaza, which is run by Hamas.