Israeli hero in coma after returning to face terrorists

“He is currently in the ICU, after multiple surgeries, and has a long way to go. We are praying that in the next few days, he will be stable enough to wake up.”

His condition was described as serious but stable, and he is suffering from significant internal wounds. Friends and relatives said he is unlikely to see himself as a hero, having acted purely on instinct.

Bitton had gone to Bondi Beach to celebrate Chanukah with a friend after a long day of hiking. When the shooting began, Bitton and his friend ran away, only for the Israeli to return to the scene.

Another friend later received a call from Bitton’s sister in Israel, who reportedly told them: “My brother just called. He said he was shot twice, and then the line disconnected.”

Following the attack, relatives and friends searched for him, combing Bondi. They later went from hospital to hospital until he was located at St Vincent’s and was already undergoing surgery for multiple gunshot wounds.

Bitton’s father, who flew in from Israel, joined the effort to reconstruct the sequence of events. Using the Find My Phone app, they determined Bitton’s last recorded location was near the site of the shooting.

The New South Wales government announced last week that it may effectively ban anti-Israel protests in the state for up to three months.

On a federal level, Australia is also set to significantly tighten its gun laws after it was revealed that Sajid Akram was a licensed gun club member and owner of six firearms.