A bystander who risked his life to confront a gunman during the deadly terror attack at Bondi Beach has been granted permanent residency in Australia as a direct result of his heroic actions.
A Heroic Intervention
On December 14, during a Jewish Hannukah celebration at Bondi Beach, chaos erupted when a gunman opened fire. In the midst of the terror, Gefen Bitton, a 30-year-old Israeli national, saw another man, Ahmed al Ahmed, attempting to disarm the attacker. Without hesitation, Bitton ran to his aid.
"As Ahmed al Ahmed heroically jumped on the terrorist, Gefen ran in alongside to confront the terrorist," said his friend Cayli Barr. "There, he was shot, fell to the ground, and shot again." Bitton, who works as a garage door technician, sustained serious internal injuries and has undergone multiple surgeries. He remains in St Vincent's Hospital recovering from his wounds.
Minister's Hospital Visit Seals Residency
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke visited Bitton in hospital on Tuesday and personally delivered the life-changing news. "Gefen is a hero. Without a moment's thought for his own safety, he ran to help Ahmed al Ahmed," Mr Burke stated. "I met with him at St Vincent's Hospital and while I was there, I made him a permanent resident of Australia."
The Minister emphasised that the act was a recognition of Bitton's extraordinary courage. "Of all the things he is now dealing with, at least this gives him one less challenge to worry about," Burke said. "I told him Australia is a better place with him here and he is welcome to continue to come here for the rest of his life."
Community Mourns and Demands Action
The attack, which police allege was an antisemitic act carried out by Naveed Akram, 24, and his father Sajid Akram, 50, claimed multiple lives. Among the victims was former police officer Peter 'Marzo' Meagher, 61, who was working as a freelance photographer at the Chanukah by the Sea event. He was farewelled by hundreds of mourners at Sydney's St Mary's Cathedral on Wednesday.
During the emotional funeral, Meagher's brother, David, delivered a powerful eulogy that took aim at critics of gun reform. He called for tighter restrictions in the wake of the attack, challenging the notion that Australia only has an antisemitism problem and not a gun issue. "Why can't it be two things at once?" he asked. "Just as we must ask why the killers did what they did, surely, we must also ask how they were able to."
The alleged perpetrator, Naveed Akram, faces 59 charges, including 15 counts of murder. He was shot by police at the scene, spent days in a coma, and has now been transferred to Goulburn's supermax prison. His father, Sajid Akram, was shot dead by police during the incident.
Meanwhile, Ahmed al Ahmed, the man Bitton rushed to help, has travelled to the United States to receive further treatment for the bullet wounds he sustained during his own brave act to disarm the gunman.
