HBO has acquired US rights to Shlomi Eldar’s Israeli documentary Precious Life days before its Toronto slot in the Real To Reel programme.

Bleiberg Entertainment head Ehud Bleiberg produced with Yoav Ze’evi and brokered the deal with HBO.

Precious Life tells the story of Mohammad Abu Mustaffa, a four-month-old Palestinian boy from Gaza who was born without an immune system and requires a bone marrow transplant that can only be done in an Israeli hospital.

A desperate plea from his doctor leads Israeli broadcast journalist Eldar to document the story of Israeli and Palestinian doctors’ attempt to save Mohammad’s life.

“We are very excited that HBO believes in the film and we can’t imagine any other company releasing Precious Life,” Bleiberg said. HBO will broadcast the film in 2011.