Israel had appealed for help in locating Noya, a 12-year-old autistic girl who was a fan of Harry Potter and had been abducted by Hamas.
The young girl has now been found dead, as confirmed by Israel.
Originally, Israel had posted on social media last Sunday, stating,
"This beautiful 12-year-old girl with autism was abducted from her home by Hamas terrorists and taken to Gaza."
The post included a photo of the girl and described her as "sensitive, kind, fun, and a huge Harry Potter fan."
Photo: Twitter
They also appealed to J.K. Rowling, the British author behind the Harry Potter series, to help spread the story and bring the girl home.
J.K. Rowling responded on Monday, stating,
"Kidnapping children is abhorrent and utterly unjustifiable. For obvious reasons, this image has struck me. May Noya and all hostages taken by Hamas be returned soon, safely, to their families."
Unfortunately, the story did not have a happy ending.
Noya did not return safely to her parents and has been confirmed dead by Israel on Thursday morning.
"We are devastated to announce that Noya and her grandmother Carmela's bodies were found yesterday," they wrote. "Thank you to everyone who shared her story to bring her home. Our hearts are broken."
Watch the heartbreaking post by Israel below
