Bondi Beach Hero Ahmed Al-Ahmed Opens Up in First Interview After Attack: "My Soul Told Me to Do It" | WATCH

In his first major interview since the deadly antisemitic attack at Bondi Beach, Syrian-Australian Muslim shop owner Ahmed Al-Ahmed has opened up about the harrowing moments when he single-handedly disarmed one of the gunmen, potentially saving countless lives during a Hanukkah celebration turned nightmare.

The 43-year-old father of two, now hailed as a national hero, told CBS News that an inner drive compelled him to act: "My soul told me to do it."

The attack unfolded on December 14 at Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach, where a group of Islamic terrorists opened fire on a crowd gathered for Hanukkah festivities, killing 15 people and injuring dozens more in Australia's deadliest mass shooting in nearly three decades.

Security footage, widely circulated on social media, captured Al-Ahmed leaping from behind a parked car to confront one of the assailants bare-handed, wrestling away his rifle in a desperate struggle.

"I jumped on his back, hit him. I held him with my right hand and started saying words to warn him: Drop the gun, stop doing what you're doing. Everything happened fast," Al-Ahmed recounted in the CBS interview published today.

Despite sustaining injuries during the confrontation, he emphasized that fear took a backseat to his singular goal: preventing further bloodshed. "My aim was just to take the rifle from him, to stop him from taking human lives and not to kill innocent people," he said.

Al-Ahmed, who emigrated from Syria and runs a local store, described the chaos that drove him to intervene. "I don't want to see people being killed in front of me, I don't want to hear his gun, I don't want to see people screaming and begging, asking for help and that's what my soul asked me to do," he explained.

Reflecting on the aftermath, he expressed sorrow for the victims: "Everything in my heart, in my mind, everything worked just to succeed in saving people's lives. I know I saved many, but I feel sorry for those who were lost."

The heroism has resonated globally, with Al-Ahmed's story drawing praise from world leaders and communities alike. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called him a "symbol of unity in the face of hatred," while Israeli officials have highlighted his actions as a beacon of interfaith solidarity amid rising antisemitism.

In a show of public gratitude, a crowdfunding campaign has raised over $2.6 million for Al-Ahmed and his family, with donors from around the world contributing to support the man who risked everything.

He is also expected to receive a national bravery award in the coming weeks.

Al-Ahmed's message remains one of hope: "What makes a citizen turn into a hero? It's about standing up when it matters most."