Conflicting Accounts Cast Doubt on Viral Gaza Aid-Site Death Story

A widely-circulated account of a young Gazan boy allegedly killed by Israeli forces at a humanitarian aid site is facing serious questions, after new video evidence and testimony from the boy’s stepmother indicate he was alive weeks after the date in question.

Former Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) contractor Tony Aguilar told U.S. media that on May 28, he met a boy he called “Amir” at an aid distribution site and watched him die under IDF fire shortly afterward. His emotive retelling, including a moment where the boy allegedly kissed him and thanked him in English, went viral, drawing international outrage.

But Siham Al-Jarabe’a, who says she is the boy’s stepmother, told interviewers her stepson Abdul Rahim Mohammed Hamdan Al-Jarabe’a, known in the family as “Aboud”, was alive until July 28, when he went missing. She says she has neither seen his body nor received a death certificate, and believes he may have been kidnapped.

Video Contradictions

Body cam footage obtained by The Daily Wire shows a different encounter than the one Aguilar described. In the video, the boy is seen kissing the hand of another contractor, asking for help with food, and walking away into the crowd with no indication of injury. The contractor wearing the body cam has accused Aguilar of fabricating the emotional details of his story.

GHF also disputes Aguilar’s account, noting no incident of IDF fire on civilians was recorded at their sites that day. They add that security protocols and physical barriers would have prevented Aguilar from witnessing such an event even if it had occurred.

Timeline Discrepancies

Al-Jarabe’a insists the images circulated by Aguilar must have been taken on July 28, the day her son disappeared, not in May. She says her son had never visited the site Aguilar claimed, and that she only linked him to that location because Aguilar’s story was repeated in the media.

Employment Dispute

Records show Aguilar’s contract with GHF ended in June due to what the organization described as “poor performance, volatile conflicts with staff, and erratic behavior.” Aguilar insists he resigned. He went public with his story weeks later, framing it as part of a wider critique of GHF operations.

Unresolved Case

Al-Jarabe’a says she continues searching for her stepson, visiting hospitals and morgues. Despite the controversy over the timeline and location, she clings to the belief he is still alive:

“My son was not alone that day. If he had been hurt, someone would have helped him,” she said.

The IDF has not reported any fatal incidents at Gaza aid distribution points on May 28. For now, the fate of Abdul Rahim “Aboud” Al-Jarabe’a and the veracity of the viral story remain unanswered questions.