January 1, Gaza Boy Thought Dead Found Alive Escapes With Mom

Wyatt’s Take

• A boy said to be shot by the IDF is actually alive and now safe with his mother.
• The aid group found him after false reports spread widely online.
• Many rushed to judgment instead of checking the facts.

An 8-year-old boy from Gaza, thought to have been killed by Israeli soldiers, was found alive and taken out of the Gaza Strip along with his mother. The boy, known as Abdul Rahim Muhammad Hamden, or “Abboud,” had been reported dead by various outlets in May. His story caught attention after a U.S. Army veteran named Anthony Aguilar claimed he saw the boy shot by Israeli forces at a food distribution site.

Aguilar shared body camera footage showing the boy receiving food and thanking him. Aguilar said that after the boy left with other Palestinians, shots rang out, and he believed the child was shot and killed. “Shot to the torso, a shot to the leg – dead,” Aguilar said.

However, Aguilar’s statements changed over time about where the event happened. The charity that managed the food site, Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, fired Aguilar and began searching for the truth. After a fresh investigation using facial recognition along with input from locals, the group found Hamden alive with his mother Najlaa and brought them to safety. Their location has not been shared for security reasons.

Johnnie Moore of the foundation said, “We are overjoyed and deeply relieved that Abboud is safe, and that this story ends in hope.” He also warned, “Too many people, including in the press and civil society, were quick to spread unverified claims without asking the most basic questions.” There were also fears that local militant groups had reason to keep Hamden hidden, as finding him alive would call into question prior deadly accusations.

If we let headlines and rumors guide us, we lose sight of the bigger picture. Middle America knows the value of truth, especially when lives are at stake. We need good facts, not gossip, to protect what matters most.

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Wyatt Matters

This story reminds us not to take everything at face value. Folks in the heartland understand that rushing to judgment never solves anything—facts matter most.