Late Palestinian Teen’s YouTube Dream Lives On, Inspiring Gamers Worldwide
Awni Eldous, a 13-year-old Palestinian boy, found posthumous fame on YouTube after his tragic death in the conflict. In a heartfelt video posted in August 2022, Awni shared his dreams of reaching 100,000 subscribers on his gaming channel. Over a year later, he became one of the first Palestinian children killed in the war, turning his videos into a symbol of the loss in Gaza.
Awni’s family home was hit in an Israeli strike, and the video in which he passionately introduced his channel now has millions of views. Despite his untimely death, his subscriber count has soared to almost 1.5 million, continuing to grow.
Described as a “very happy and confident” boy, Awni, nicknamed “engineer Awni” for his love of computers, became a symbol of the tragedy in Gaza. The conflict, which claimed over 20,000 lives, including a third being children, led to his family’s devastating loss.
Awni’s family, including four siblings and parents, were killed in the strike. His aunt, Ala’a, fondly remembers him as a calm and helpful boy who loved spending time with his family and was passionate about computers and gaming.
Awni’s YouTube channel, started in June 2020, gained attention posthumously, with established YouTubers expressing their sorrow. AboFlah, a Kuwaiti gamer, emotionally shared messages Awni had sent him, highlighting the impact of Awni’s story.
AboFlah remarked, “Fans see themselves in Awni. We are all Awni.” Despite the tragedy, Awni’s surviving relatives express pride in the global support he has received, considering it a gift from God. (Source: BBC)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-67788360