8-year-old boy, previously reported killed by IDF after kissing an aid worker’s hand in gratitude for food, is discover

A dramatic twist has emerged in the case of a young Gazan boy once believed to have been killed during a violent confrontation near a humanitarian aid distribution site. The child, initially identified by the alias “Amir,” was widely reported as having been shot dead by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in late May. However, new revelations confirm that the boy is alive and had been in hiding with his mother for months.

The boy’s real name, verified by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), is Abdul Rahim Muhammad Hamden, though he is affectionately called “Abboud.” In an exclusive conversation facilitated by a GHF translator for Fox News Digital, the eight-year-old and his mother, Najlaa, expressed joy and relief as they prepared for extraction from Gaza. Both have since been safely relocated from the territory, though their current whereabouts remain undisclosed for security reasons.

“Outside the Gaza Strip is nice,” Abboud said shyly, his words translated and authenticated by Fox News Digital. The child’s survival not only brought hope to humanitarian workers but also dramatically shifted the narrative surrounding one of the most publicized accounts of alleged IDF violence.

The story first gained global traction when Anthony Aguilar, a retired U.S. Army Green Beret Lt. Col. and former GHF contractor, claimed he had witnessed Abboud’s death on May 28. According to Aguilar’s account, he saw the boy, clutching bags of food, approach aid workers at a GHF distribution site. Aguilar recounted a touching moment when the boy kissed his hand and face in gratitude for the supplies. Shortly afterward, Aguilar alleged that IDF forces fired live rounds at Palestinians leaving the site, striking Abboud fatally.

Aguilar’s testimony, backed by images from his body camera, was broadcast widely and repeated to multiple media outlets, including MSNBC. He described the boy as having been shot in the torso and leg, leaving “no doubt” that he was dead. However, inconsistencies soon emerged. Aguilar gave conflicting accounts of the shooting’s location—first outside Secure Distribution Site-1 (SDS-1), later near SDS-2, and eventually claiming it occurred outside SDS-3.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which terminated Aguilar’s contract in June, launched an independent investigation at the end of July. Their inquiry, relying heavily on testimonies from local Palestinians, ultimately led them to Abboud and his mother. To eliminate doubt, GHF employed facial recognition software and biometric verification, matching Abboud’s identity with Aguilar’s footage.

Exclusive video obtained by Fox News Digital showed Abboud happily interacting with GHF representatives at SDS-3 in late August, further confirming his survival.

GHF Executive Chair Johnnie Moore described the outcome as a triumph of perseverance:

“We are overjoyed and deeply relieved that Abboud is safe, and that this story ends in hope. That outcome was never guaranteed, and it’s thanks to the courage and persistence of our team of American heroes—veterans who never stopped working to find him and bring him to safety in the most complex environment imaginable.”

The revelation not only discredits Aguilar’s widely circulated account but also raises questions about how misinformation spread so quickly and why certain narratives gained traction. Some observers suggested that Hamas might have had an interest in preventing Abboud from being found alive, since his reappearance undermines claims of brutality linked to both GHF operations and IDF actions.

For now, the young boy and his mother are safe, far from the conflict zone, offering a rare glimmer of hope in an otherwise bleak chapter of Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)