1 of 4 Awni Eldous in a video recorded by him in 2022; the boy loved games and computers Photo: REPRODUKTION/FACEBOOK Awni Eldous in a video he recorded in 2022; The boy loved games and computers Photo: REPRODUKTION/FACEBOOK
After the death of Awni Eldous, his dream came true.
In a video posted in August 2022, he held a microphone and smiled as he explained his ambitions for his YouTube gaming channel.
“Guys, I introduce myself to you: I am a Palestinian from Gaza, I am 12 years old. The goal of this channel is to reach 100,000 subscribers or 500,000 or 1 million,” he said.
He ended the short video by saying “peace” to the thousand subscribers at that point and leaving the scene.
Just over a year later, Awni became one of the first Palestinian children killed in the war.
Relatives say the home of Awni's family was hit by an Israeli attack on October 7, hours after Hamas gunmen crossed the border into Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 240 hostages.
This video of Awni has now been viewed millions of times and the same applies to other videos in which he plays video games. His profile reached 1.5 million subscribers at the time of publishing this text and continues to grow.
2 out of 4 Awni in one of the videos on your channel; the house where he lived with his family was attacked on October 7th Photo: REPRODUKTION/FACEBOOK Awni in one of the videos on his channel; The house where he lived with his family was hit on October 7th Photo: REPRODUKTION/FACEBOOK
His aunt Ala'a says Awni was a “very happy and confident” boy. Another uncle called him “Engineer Awni” because the 13yearold loved computers.
For acquaintances, Awni ultimately became a kind of symbol for the thousands of children who were killed in the Gaza Strip.
“Please forgive us,” says one of the recent comments on his videos. “I wish I had met you before you died.”
According to Gaza's Health Ministry, run by the Hamas group, more than 20,000 Palestinians have died since the war with Israel began and more than a third of those are estimated to be children.
Unicef, the UN children's agency, has described Gaza as “the most dangerous place in the world” for children.
3 of 4 Awni (right) with his brothers and sisters; everyone died in the explosion Photo: FAMILY ARCHIVE Awni (right) with her brothers and sisters; Everyone died in the explosion Photo: ARQUIVO FAMILIAR
On the day of the Hamas attack, as Israel began to retaliate, Ala'a imagined a bomb destroying the family's home in Gaza City. That night, at around 8:20 p.m. local time, her phone received several messages from friends saying that Awni's family's house had been hit.
Each branch of the family lived on one floor of the threestory house in the Zeitoun district. Awni lived on the same floor with her parents, two older sisters and two younger brothers.
The attack on the site was also documented by the NGO Amnesty International.
“Two bombs suddenly fell on the building and destroyed it. My wife and I were lucky to survive. We were at the top,” says Mohammed, Awni’s uncle.
Both he and a neighbor said they received no warning before the bombing. “It was suddenly: boom,” says the neighbor.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) declined to comment on this specific attack, but said it struck identified military targets where Hamas “operated nearby, underground and in densely populated areas.”
“IDF attacks on military targets are subject to the relevant provisions of international law, including taking practical precautions and after an assessment that the expected incidental damage to civilians and civilian property is not excessive in relation to the expected military advantage of the attack,” it said in a statement from the Bundeswehr.
The statement continued: “The IDF regrets any harm caused to civilians or civilian property as a result of its operations and is reviewing all damage to determine how it can improve and ensure that all activities are in accordance with operational procedures and obey the law.” “
“He wanted followers and fans”
Ala'a didn't want to believe the news he received. But after connecting to WiFi, she saw a close family friend share a photo of her brother on social media with the caption: “Rest in peace.” She rushed to the hospital.
“They asked me to identify the bodies, but my husband refused. He wanted me to remember their beautiful faces vividly,” Ala'a said in a Facebook message from the southern Gaza Strip, where she fled.
Ala'a says 15 members of her family were killed that night, including Awni.
She describes Awni as a quiet and helpful boy. His father was a computer engineer, and Ala'a says the boy always imitated his father he liked to disassemble laptops and put them back together.
In photos shared by Awni on Facebook, he can be seen in front of a blackboard holding a computer motherboard in front of his classmates as part of a technology course organized by the students themselves. The school's Facebook profile shows that it has won several awards.
Shortly after Awni's death, one of his teachers also posted a photo together in which he described the boy's “constant smile.”
4 of 4 Awni with his teacher: The boy had won several student prizes Photo: REPRODUKTION/FACEBOOK Awni with his teacher: The boy had won several student prizes Photo: REPRODUKTION/FACEBOOK
Outside of school, Ala'a says Awni loved being with her family. One “wonderful evening,” Ala'a says, he watched a film with Awni and his brothers while eating chips and chocolate.
The last time she saw him was at a family breakfast three weeks before his death. She remembers looking at the boy and saying, “Awni is becoming a man.”
Awni loved computers and video games and idolized YouTubers who turned their hobbies into careers.
“He wanted to be like them: to have followers and fans,” says his aunt.
Awni started his YouTube channel in June 2020 with videos of himself playing Pro Evolution Soccer, the car racing game Blur, and the shooter CounterStrike.
He gave long descriptions of the games, the companies that made them, and their release dates.
In a video of Awni with an uncle, the duo promised to bring “special content” to the channel: “It's going to be great.”
They smile and gesture as they alternate lines and say they plan to expand the channel to include vlogs and interviews.
Ashraf Eldous, a distant relative of Awni who works as a programmer and helps manage several YouTube channels, said the teenager often asked him for advice.
In August 2022 messages shown to the BBC, Awni asks for YouTube tips and refers to his relative as “Brother Ashraf.”
The last time Ashraf spoke to Awni's father, he heard from him: “Take care of Awni. Answer his questions. He’s ambitious.”
“His goal was to be a competitor or colleague of mine,” says Ashraf. “He had created his YouTube channel. It wasn't very big and had a lot of views. Every beginning is difficult.”
But after Awni's death in October, views increased and the channel caught the attention of wellknown YouTubers such as Kuwaiti gamer AboFlah.
In an emotional video that has been viewed nine million times, AboFlah cries when he finds out Awni sent him messages on social media.
One message said: “Nothing compares to the Palestinian winter in Gaza. The atmosphere is legendary. We drink Sahlab (sweet milk drink), it's so good. We also eat roasted chestnuts. I hope you come to Palestine. With much love.” “
In another, Awni tells AboFlah: “You are a legend and an inspiration.”
In the video, also recorded in October, AbloFlah reacts through tears: “It is so unfortunate that this child died. (…) This is one among many others, even younger than him. By God's will they will be birds of paradise.”
“I spoke from the heart. I couldn't hold back the tears,” AboFlah tells the BBC about the recording. “I was very touched to learn that he was inspired by me.”
Awni's entire family four brothers and sisters, mother and father died with him. But surviving relatives say they are proud of the fame the boy achieved after his death.
“It is a gift from God that so many people around the world love Awni,” says Ala'a. “He spoke enthusiastically about it and about his channel. He’s happier in heaven now.”