Video testimony calls into question viral story about Gazan boy’s death

Al-Jarabe’a said that although her stepson is missing,, she believes he is still alive.

By Vered Weiss

A viral story about a 10-year-old Gazan boy who was allegedly shot by the IDF while collecting humanitarian aid has been called into question after a video surfaced with an account by a relative saying he is still alive, the Daily Wire reported.

Although Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) contractor Tony Aguilar claimed he met a boy named Amir who was shot by IDF soldiers on May 28 — an accusation that went viral and led to condemnation of Israel — bodycam footage tells a different story.

According to the Daily Wire. footage of the boy’s stepmother, Siham Al-Jarabe’a, interviewed by several news outlets, shows her saying her stepson, Abdul Rahim Mohammed Hamdan Al-Jarabe’a, went missing on July 28 and that he was alive with her for two months after Aguilar claimed the boy was killed.

Al-Jarabe’a said that although her stepson, who goes by the nickname of Amir, is missing, she believes he is still alive and may have been kidnapped.

“July 28 is the last time you saw the boy? Today is August 5,” the Arabic-speaking interviewer said to Al-Jarabe’a. The Arabic interview’s translation into English has been independently verified by the Daily Wire.

“Yes,” she replied.

“So almost a week ago?”

“Yes.”

Aguilar’s story went viral when he spoke on a podcast following the alleged meeting with the boy. He gave a detailed account of how he allegedly gave the boy food, saying the boy kissed him, placed his hands on his face and said “Thank you” in English.

Aguilar said that after collecting the items, Amir “was shot at with pepper spray and tear gas and stun grenades and bullets — shot at his feet and in the air — and he runs away, scared.”

However, he admitted that he was not entirely sure the child was dead, despite telling MSNBC that he was “gunned down.”