Hostages activist: IDF’s Hagari should be given a medal rather than shown the door
Gil Dickman, cousin of murdered captive Carmel Gat, relates how outgoing army spokesman went above and beyond his job to personally present family with information about her fate
A key activist for the release of Gaza hostages went online Friday to praise outgoing Israel Defense Force Spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, as news emerged that Hagari would be ending his role and retiring from the military, amid indications that he was pushed out.
Gil Dickman, whose cousin hostage Carmel Gat was murdered in a Gaza tunnel along with five other hostages in August 2024, wrote on X: “Six days after Carmel’s body was found, Daniel Hagari entered the tunnel where she was murdered along with Hersh, Almog, Eden, Ori, and Alex. After coming out, he drove to us to show us the last place where they had been alive. How they survived there despite the hellish conditions — until the military pressure led to their murder.
“‘You’re the IDF spokesperson,’ I told him at the end of the meeting. ‘Why are you the one presenting this to us? Why does the IDF need its spokesperson to go into the tunnels? To find the hairbrushes, the shampoos, and the chess boards? To speak with the families? Why did they send you?'” Dickman recalled.
“‘I’ll tell you a secret,’ he said to me. ‘No one sent me. It’s not my job to talk to the families. It’s not my job to rappel down into tunnels or present investigations of failures to communities in the kibbutzim. It’s not my job. But over the past year, I’ve realized that there are things that, if I don’t do them myself, won’t turn out the way I imagine they should. So I preferred to do it myself rather than blame others for what they didn’t do.'”
Dickman concluded: “I wish for us a country and an army where people like him are awarded medals of excellence — rather than shown the door. Thank you, Hagari.”
Hagari’s retirement was “agreed upon” with new IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, the military said Friday, though it has been seen as a de facto dismissal, as Hagari was not given a promotion for his work as IDF spokesman during the war.
Hagari reportedly had hoped to be promoted to the rank of vice admiral and appointed as Israel’s defense attaché to the United States.
Being promoted also would have put him on track to potentially head the Israeli Navy — where he had previously served — or another senior role on the General Staff. Hagari served as head of naval operations before becoming IDF spokesman.
“The chief of staff wished to express his great appreciation to Rear Adm. Hagari for his years of significant combat service for the State of Israel,” the military said.
“Rear Adm. Hagari performed his role as IDF spokesman during one of the most complex wars in the country’s history, in a professional and dedicated manner.”
Despite being a popular spokesman among the public, the political echelon, especially Defense Minister Israel Katz, clashed with Hagari. It is thought that Katz would not sign off on promoting Hagari.
A comment he made last June saying that Hamas could not be destroyed drew a sharp retort from the office of Prime Minister’s Office. He was rebuked in December for criticizing a bill that could protect intel leakers.
Zamir is expected to promote a senior officer from the Ground Forces as the next IDF spokesman. Among the names that have been brought up as potential successors is Col. Benny Aharon, a former commander of the 401st Armored Brigade, who led his unit during months of fighting in the Gaza Strip.
Emmanuel Fabian contributed to this report.
