Israeli ground forces operating in southern Gaza have discovered and rescued a dog abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the brutal October 7, 2023, Hamas assault.

The dog, a three-and-a-half-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Billy, was found in the city of Rafah and returned to Israel after soldiers identified her via a microchip implant. Billy belonged to Rachel Dancyg, ex-wife of Holocaust historian and educator Alex Dancyg hy”d, who was kidnapped during the October 7 onslaught and later murdered in captivity.

Billy’s safe return has brought a wave of emotion to the Dancyg family, who had long given up hope of ever seeing her again.

“We are in complete shock and overwhelmed with emotion to see her tomorrow,” said Yaron Maor, Rachel’s son-in-law, in an interview with Ynet. “We didn’t believe she had survived. We got the kids another dog of the same breed. Now they’ll live together with us. It’s a miracle from heaven.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)