Rachel Dancyg, an Israeli woman, was reunited on Tuesday night with her dog Billie, months after the pet went missing during the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was found alive in Rafah, southern Gaza, by Israeli soldiers conducting operations in the area.
Dancyg’s ex-husband, Alex Dancyg, and her brother, Itzhak Elgarat, were abducted and later killed during the Hamas assault, which left over 1,200 people dead and more than 250 taken hostage. Nir Oz was among the hardest-hit communities, with about a quarter of its 400 residents killed or captured. Some families reported seeing Hamas militants either killing or taking animals during the attack.
“It feels like a miracle,” Dancyg told the Associated Press on Wednesday, just hours after reuniting with her 3-and-a-half-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel. “It doesn’t make sense… so many people didn’t survive. How did she?”
According to Dancyg and her daughter Lee Maor, they received an unexpected call from a soldier who said he had found Billie. The dog reportedly approached the troops and stayed close. The soldier said she may have recognised Hebrew. A microchip helped confirm the dog’s identity.
Reserve soldier Aviad Shapira told Israeli media that he called out “shalom” and Billie jumped on him. He suspected she did not belong in Gaza and took her to a vet, where her owners were traced.
Dancyg and her family had moved to northern Israel after the attack and had searched for Billie for months without success. On Wednesday, she described the reunion as unbelievable and emotional. Billie was thinner and appeared confused, but was physically fine.
