Unsung Hero: Israeli Civilian Gefen Bitton Fighting for Life After Bondi Beach Massacre

A Fateful Decision to Stay

Gefen Bitton, an Israeli citizen who has called Australia home for the past three years, had spent his day hiking in the Blue Mountains before heading to Bondi Beach to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah. According to his family, Bitton was sitting on the benches with a friend and insisted on staying until the very end of the menorah lighting ceremony. That decision placed him at the heart of one of the deadliest terror attacks in Australian history.

When the shooting began, Bitton initially ran for safety with his friend, but upon seeing the carnage, he made a split second choice to turn back toward the danger. While others fled, Bitton charged toward the terrorists, Sajim Akram and Naveed, in an attempt to distract them. "Gefen had escaped; he was safe, but when he saw the terrorist, he ran into the line of fire to help," his family stated. "He made the decision to put himself at risk to save the lives of others."

Bravery Under Fire

Dramatic footage shows Bitton, dressed in a red shirt, acting in coordination with fellow hero Ahmed al-Ahmed. As they moved to tackle the gunman, Bitton was struck by bullets fired by the second terrorist, who was perched on a nearby bridge. Despite being hit and falling to the ground, the footage shows Bitton remarkably struggling back to his feet to continue his advance before being shot again.

The attack, which claimed the lives of 15 people, including a ten year old girl and a Holocaust survivor, was eventually halted, but Bitton paid a devastating price. He was shot three times and is currently sedated and ventilated in the intensive care unit at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney.

A Father’s Desperate Search

The chaos following the massacre left families scrambling for information. Bitton’s father, who immediately flew from Israel to Australia, managed to find his son by using the "Find My Friends" feature to track Gefen's phone to the hospital.

Friends have now launched a GoFundMe campaign to assist with the mounting medical costs for his long recovery. Friend Cay Barr described Bitton as "not a mere bystander, but an absolute hero who deserves recognition." His family echoed these sentiments, noting that he acted on the values of his education. "He, 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."

The Australian and Israeli communities continue to pray for Bitton, whose actions likely diverted the terrorists' attention long enough for dozens of others to escape the beachfront slaughter.