A Gazan boy, presumed dead, walks free today. Abdul Rahim Muhammad Hamden, an 8-year-old nicknamed Abboud, was wrongly reported killed by Israeli forces, but new footage proves he’s alive. The truth cuts through the fog of war.
In May 2025, reports claimed Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) shot Abboud dead, but the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) found him alive with his mother, Najlaa, and safely extracted them from Gaza on September 4, 2025. A former contractor’s dramatic tale fueled the initial story, only to unravel under scrutiny.
Anthony Aguilar, a retired U.S. Army Green Beret, claimed he saw Abboud—whom he called Amir—shot by IDF on May 28, 2025. His body camera footage showed the boy, clutching food bags, kissing Aguilar’s hand in gratitude. Such emotional imagery tugged heartstrings but muddied facts.
Aguilar’s story shifted like desert sand. He told Sen. Chris Van Hollen the shooting happened near Secure Distribution Site-1, then claimed it was near Site-2 to MSNBC, and later Site-3 to Dialogue Works. Consistency matters when lives are at stake.
“Shot to the torso, a shot to the leg—dead,” Aguilar declared to Dialogue Works. His vivid account painted the IDF as reckless, yet GHF’s investigation found no evidence to support it. Narrative-driven claims often collapse under fact-checking’s weight.
GHF terminated Aguilar’s contract in June 2025. His allegations, amplified by the media, spread unverified claims of IDF brutality. The rush to headlines nearly buried the truth of a living child.
In late July 2025, GHF launched a probe to find Abboud. Using facial recognition and biometric data, they confirmed his identity. Technology trumped speculation, proving Abboud was alive and hidden with his mother.
Najlaa, Abboud’s mother, brought him to Secure Distribution Site-3 on August 23, 2025, under heavy disguise. Four other male family members, one threatened by Hamas, joined them. Hamas’s shadow looms large, possibly pushing a false narrative for propaganda.
“My son and I suffered a lot. But we thank God,” Najlaa told Fox News Digital. Her relief is palpable, yet the ordeal exposes the dangers of unverified stories in conflict zones.
On September 4, 2025, GHF extracted Abboud, Najlaa, and their family from Gaza. The location remains undisclosed to protect them. Safety, not sensationalism, guided their rescue.
“Outside the Gaza Strip is nice,” Abboud said, his words verified by Fox News Digital. His childlike optimism contrasts sharply with the grim tales spun around him. A boy’s smile dismantles a false tragedy.
Footage from Fox News Digital captured Abboud playfully interacting with a GHF representative at Site-3. The video buries Aguilar’s claims, showing a living child, not a martyr. Visual evidence speaks louder than skewed reports.
“We are overjoyed and deeply relieved that Abboud is safe,” said Johnnie Moore, GHF Executive Chair. “That outcome was never guaranteed,” he added, crediting the team’s persistence. Heroes work in the shadows, not for clicks.
“Too many people, including in the press, were quick to spread unverified claims,” Moore noted. The media’s haste to amplify Aguilar’s story risks lives when facts are sidelined. Truth demands patience, not progressive agendas.
“When a child’s life is at stake, facts must matter more than headlines,” Moore emphasized. Najlaa, hoping her son will be “at ease,” deserves a future free from politicized distortions. Abboud’s survival is a victory for clarity over chaos.
