The identity of a courageous bystander who intervened during the Bondi Beach shooting has been unveiled as Gefen Bitton, a 30-year-old Israeli national. Bitton was attending a Jewish Hanukkah event when the alleged gunmen, Naveed Akram, 24, and his father Sajid, 50, began firing. In a remarkable act of bravery, another bystander named Ahmed Al-Ahmed managed to disarm Sajid. Footage captured Bitton racing from the parking lot to assist in quelling the attack.

Tragically, Bitton confronted Sajid and was subsequently shot three times by Naveed. Despite his injuries, Bitton was able to contact his sister in Israel, informing her of the shooting before the call was abruptly ended. Alarmed, she immediately notified friends in Sydney, who launched a desperate search to find him. Bitton was eventually located at St Vincent’s Hospital, where he was already in surgery for his injuries.

Bitton’s father rushed to Australia and later identified his son from social media footage, recognizing him as the man in a red shirt sprinting to aid Al-Ahmed. Currently, Bitton is in critical condition and remains in intensive care following four additional surgeries. The gunshot wounds to his lower abdomen shattered his pelvic bone and caused significant internal injuries and bleeding. It is yet to be determined if he will fully recover the use of one of his legs.

‘He knew exactly what he was doing, he was just set on a mission to help others,’ friend Matthew Volpatti told Nine News. ‘He’s a soft soul who would do anything for anyone.’ Mr Bitton has been living in Australia for three years working a garage door technician. He was at Bondi that night to celebrate Hanukkah with friends after he spent the day in the Blue Mountains hiking – one of his favourite pastimes.

‘He’s got a long road to recovery,’ Mr Volpatti said. ‘He’s just a young man come from overseas to have a better life in Australia, and he’s going to need everyone’s support.’ An online fundraiser to help with Mr Bitton’s mounting medical expenses has already raised almost $65,000. ‘Now in the ICU, Gefen’s put his own life at risk with his selfless actions,’ the page states. ‘Gefen – an unarmed Israeli civilian, living in peace in Australia – made a decision most of us couldn’t even think of.

‘He ran into the face of danger like only a hero does, guided by the values on which he was educated and raised. ‘A true hero that deserves recognition.’ Other friends described Mr Bitton as the ‘most spiritual guy ever’. ‘He loves people and always turns words into action,’ Tom Cohen told 7news.com.au. ‘He’s such a good soul and he didn’t deserve it. Nobody deserved it, but literally, he was such a good guy to everybody.’