(NewsNation) — Ayala Shainberg has been anxiously awaiting information about her friends at the music festival when the deadly Hamas attack occurred.
“I wake up in the morning, and two more friends are dead. You need to understand this is real life. This is the real life of a person,” Shainberg said.
One of Shainberg’s close friends, Shani Louk, has been unaccounted for since the incident. A video released by Hamas is one of the last known sightings of Louk, showing her in the back of a Jeep paraded by Hamas gunmen before they drove away.
Despite the grim situation, Shainberg remains hopeful her friend is still alive.
Meanwhile, Louk’s mother has received concerning information about her daughter’s condition.
She shared, “I am the mother of the abducted Shani Louk. We now have more information that Shani is alive but has a severe head injury and is in critical condition. Every minute is critical, and we ask, no, we demand that the German government act quickly.”
A video captured by her friend, Daniel Sharabi, shows the moments leading up to the attack and the ensuing chaos. As the horror unfolded, Shainberg tried to contact Sharabi via text to find out what was happening. He replied, “I’m in the middle of a war,” and her subsequent call went unanswered.
The video reveals the terrifying ordeal faced by those in attendance. While Sharabi and his brother Neriah escaped safely, Shainberg remains concerned about another friend, Joseph Ochana, who remains unaccounted for.
Shainberg said evidence has emerged credit cards belonging to Louk were being used in Gaza by Hamas terrorists.
During an interview on “Elizabeth Vargas Reports,” Shainberg shared her experience of the sudden turn of events on the holiday in Israel. She said the uncertainty and fear were overwhelming as she tried to contact her friends at the festival, not knowing their fate.
“I texted all my friends. ‘What happened, where are you?’” she said.
Shainberg has been reaching out to friends and military contacts.
“I am begging for help. We try to raise money here in the United States, and we try to do the best,” she said.