Daniel Hagari
Daniel Hagari | |
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| Native name | דניאל הגרי |
| Nickname(s) | Dani |
| Born | 1976 (age 47–48) Tel Aviv |
| Allegiance | Israel |
| Service/ | Israeli Navy |
| Years of service | 1995–present |
| Rank |  Tat-Aluf (Rear Admiral) |
| Unit | IDF Spokesperson's Unit |
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Daniel Hagari (Hebrew: דניאל "דני" הגרי; born 1976) is an Israel Defense Forces Rear Admiral (Tat-Aluf) who currently serves as the head of the IDF Spokesperson's Unit. Previously he has served as the commander of the Israeli Navy's operations directorate, the Chief of Staff's assistant, Commander of the Shayetet 13 marine commando unit and the office of the Chief of Staff.
Military service
Hagari joined the Israel Defense Forces in March 1995, and volunteered to the naval special operations unit, Shayetet 13. After completing the warrior course training in the Shaytet, he then went to the infantry officer course. At the end of the course he returned to the Shayetet 13, and was appointed a platoon commander during Operation Defensive Shield. He later served as deputy commander of the Gadsar Nahal between 2003 and 2004. After that he was appointed deputy commander of a fighter in Shayetet 13.
In 2007, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel (Sgan-Aluf) and appointed commander of a vessel squadron in Shayetet 13, and served in this position until 2009. He was then appointed commander of a training squadron in Shayetet 13 between 2009 and 2011. He later served as deputy commander of Shayetet 13 between 2011 and 2012. Afterwards he was appointed head of the Chief of Staff Benny Gantz's office, a position he served in between the years 2013-2015.
In 2015 he was promoted to the rank of colonel (Aluf-Mishne) and appointed head of the operations directorate of the Israeli Navy, until 2017. in May 2017 he was appointed as Chief of Staff's Gadi Eizenkot's assistant, and served in the position during the Northern Shield operation, in this position he served until 2019. On July 31, 2019, he was appointed Commander of Shayetet 13, a position in which he served until June 15, 2021. For the activities of Shayetet 13 under his command, he was awarded the Chief of Staff Medal of Appreciation and the Chief of Staff's award for outstanding units in 2020, and the Chief of Staff's citation on June 16, 2021. At the end of his position, he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General (Tat-Aluf) and on June 17, 2021, he assumed his position as the Chief of the Navy's Fleet.
On March 29, 2023, he was appointed Chief of the IDF Spokesperson's Unit to succeed Ran Kochav. Hagari's appointment was the continuation of a recent policy to tap career military officials instead of civilian journalists as head of the Spokesperson's Unit.
Awards and decorations
Daniel Hagari was awarded three campaign ribbons for his service during three conflicts, as well as one Chief of Staff Citation.
| Chief of Staff Citation | Second Lebanon War | South Lebanon Security Zone | Operation Protective Edge |
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Personal life
Hagari grew up with two brothers in Tel Aviv. He has a wife and four children. Has a bachelor's degree in philosophy and a master's degree in diplomacy and security, both from Tel Aviv University.