“Shot to the torso, a shot to the leg – dead,” he told Dialogue Works regarding Abboud. 

In his accounts of the incident to multiple media outlets, as well as Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., on July 29, Aguilar claimed the killing happened first outside GHF aid site Secure Distribution Site-1 (SDS) before telling MSNBC on Aug. 2 that the shooting happened near SDS-2, and then telling Dialogue Works late last month the events occurred outside SDS-3. 

The GHF, who terminated Aguilar’s contract in June, launched an investigation at the end of July to try and locate the identity of the boy and uncover what happened. 

Through their investigation, which relied on speaking with local Palestinians, they eventually tracked down Abboud’s mother and her son. 

The identities of Abboud, his mother and other relatives were verified by GHF by using facial recognition software that compared the images of the boy with those captured by Aguilar, along with biometric data shared with Fox News Digital.

In footage exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital, Abboud, is seen playfully interacting with a GHF representative after he first arrived at SDS-3 with his mother late last month.

“We are overjoyed and deeply relieved that Abboud is safe, and that this story ends in hope,” GHF Executive Chair Johnnie Moore said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “That outcome was never guaranteed and it’s thanks to the courage and persistence of our team of American heroes; veterans who never stopped working to find him and bring him to safety in the most complex environment imaginable.”

Concern mounted as Aguilar’s story gained international attention that Hamas had a vested interest in ensuring that Abboud was not found, as it would discredit the claim that the GHF and the IDF had engaged in not only brutal but deadly behavior towards Palestinians. 

“While this story ends happily, it could have ended in tragedy,” Moore added. “Too many people, including in the press and civil society, were quick to spread unverified claims without asking the most basic questions. 

“When a child’s life is at stake, facts must matter more than headlines,” he added.

Abdul Rahim Muhammad Hamden (Abboud), 8 years old, has been discovered with his mother in the Gaza Strip following a GHF investigation that concluded when they appeared as Secure Distribution Site (SDS) 3 in the Gaza Strip on Aug. 23, 2025. (Gaza Humanitarian Foundation )

Abboud’s mother brought him to SDS 3 late last month under a heavy disguise, before the pair, along with four other male family members, including at least one who had been threatened by Hamas, were extracted from the Gaza Strip, a GHF representative involved in the operation confirmed to Fox News Digital.

“He and his mother have been moved to safe and secure location. We will not be disclosing their whereabouts at this time for their safety and security, but we have every belief that they are on their way to a new life,” GHF spokesman Chapman Fay told Fox News Digital.

Najlaa said her wish for her son’s future is that he be “at ease.”

“My son and I suffered a lot. But we thank God,” she added. “I thank everyone who helped me and stood by me.”