Gazan boy alive after ex-GHF whistleblower falsely claimed IDF killed him
Abdul Rahim Muhammad Hamden—known as Abboud—and his mother Najlaa were found in Gaza after a Gaza humanitarian group's internal probe challenged a former contractor's account of a May incident outside a GHF site.
An eight-year-old Gazan boy who had been reported killed by Israeli forces last spring has been found alive in the Gaza Strip with his mother, according to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and others involved in the operation. Abdul Rahim Muhammad Hamden, who goes by the nickname Abboud and was eight years old at the time of the May incident, was identified through a GHF-led review that contradicted claims made by a former contractor about his fate.
GHF said Abboud and his mother, Najlaa, appeared at Secure Distribution Site 3 (SDS 3) on Aug. 23, 2025, after a weeks-long internal investigation into the May 28 events at or near a GHF aid site. For security reasons, the exact location of the extraction was not disclosed. The team said identity verification included biometric checks and other corroborating material, such as the father’s death certificate and a shirt the boy wore in the May footage, to confirm family ties and prevent misidentification. A GHF representative noted the boy and his mother were brought to SDS 3 in a heavy disguise before being moved to safety.
The revelations come after a series of public statements by Anthony Aguilar, a former Green Beret who had worked as a contractor for UG Solutions, a subcontractor linked to the GHF’s U.S. government funding. Aguilar described in interviews and to various outlets an encounter with a boy he said was Amir, whom he claimed was killed by Israeli forces after leaving a GHF aid site on May 28. Aguilar said the boy kissed his hand and forehead, expressed gratitude for food aid, and that he witnessed gunfire near the SDS complex. He reiterated these claims in later interviews, including a diary-like recounting to Dialogue Works that the boy had been shot in the torso and leg and was dead.
However, GHF officials and independent reviews dispute Aguilar’s account. They point to video footage obtained prior to Fox News Digital’s review, which they say does not show the interaction Aguilar described. In one defense of the timeline, the organization notes that the initial May 28 event does not appear to have occurred at SDS 1 or outside SDS 3, and that SDS 2 was not yet operational on that date. The GHF has maintained that the footage shows a different sequence of events and that the “Amir” scene did not occur as Aguilar described. Aguilar has maintained that his accounts were accurate, though he acknowledged difficulties verifying the death due to access restrictions around UG Solutions personnel at the time.
In a public briefing, GHF spokesperson Chapin Fay called Aguilar’s account false during a July press conference. Fay described him as a disgruntled former employee terminated for cause, noting concerns about motive and consistency in his statements. UG Solutions counsel David Panzer echoed that view, saying Aguilar had been terminated for performance and conduct issues and accusing him of seeking publicity and reinstatement. Aguilar, for his part, has said he never stopped hoping Abboud would still be alive and has argued that the conditions created barriers to verification.
The internal GHF investigation relied on biometric data, including facial recognition that compared Abboud’s features to those captured in the May footage and to documents connected to his family. Investigators also cross-referenced scars on the boy’s neck and forehead and the shirt he wore at the time of the original event to confirm identity. Family members and local contacts helped verify relationships, leading to Najlaa’s cooperation in facilitating the evacuation from the Gaza Strip to safety. The operation was described as complex and sensitive, reflecting ongoing concerns about security conditions in the area and threats from various parties.
The discovery comes amid broader reporting about the boy’s fate and the broader discussion of aid distribution sites in Gaza. NBC News, citing producers, later reported that Abboud had left Gaza for an unnamed country, a detail that complicated earlier narratives about whether he had died or survived and where he might be headed. While this part of the timeline adds another layer to the story, the immediate focus remains on the verification effort that led to Abboud’s reunion with his mother at SDS 3 and the subsequent extraction from Gaza.
The family’s safe extraction was aided by local contacts and family members who agreed to cooperate with GHF officials after a period of concern about safety and political pressure in the region. Authorities and humanitarian workers emphasized that the identities of Abboud, Najlaa, and other relatives who were involved in the operation were verified through multiple independent channels to prevent deception or mistaken identity. GHF stated that the operation prioritized the family’s safety given threats from Hamas and other actors, and that the extraction was the result of a coordinated effort involving local communities, GHF personnel, and security measures designed to protect those involved.
The episode has renewed scrutiny of the May incident, including a debate over what occurred at the GHF distribution sites and how information about casualties is reported and sourced. While Aguilar’s statements attracted significant media attention, the GHF’s internal investigation and the biometric verification process have provided an alternate, more verifiable account of Abboud’s status. The boy’s reappearance and the documentary evidence surrounding the May 28 event are expected to shape ongoing discussions about aid distributions in Gaza and the risks faced by civilians and aid workers alike.
As Abboud and Najlaa continue their recovery away from Gaza, researchers and humanitarian groups say the case underscores the challenges of information verification in conflict zones and the potential consequences of misstatements about civilian harm. The GHF and its partners say they will continue to review and verify all accounts of incidents at aid sites to prevent similar confusion in the future. The broader humanitarian community will also scrutinize the roles of external contractors, whistleblowers, and the governments funding aid programs as they work to restore trust and improve the safety of civilians in conflict zones.
