A family member of the hero who risked his life to snatch the weapon from one of the gunmen spoke and revealed he was shot twice. In a conversation with Australian news network 7NEWS outside the hospital, Mostafa revealed that his cousin, 43-year-old Ahmad Al-Ahmad, is the one who likely saved many lives when he fought with the shooter.

Ahmad was shot twice during the struggle and is scheduled to undergo surgery Saturday night. Mostafa said his cousin, a father of two who owns a fruit shop in Sutherland, had no experience with firearms but simply acted when he decided to intervene. "He is in the hospital, and we don't know exactly what is happening inside. We hope he will be okay. He is a hero 100%," Mostafa said.

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"As a rabbi in Sydney, I implore you not to betray the Jewish people and not God Himself," Rabbi Schlanger wrote. "This land was given by God to Abraham, then to his son Isaac, and then to Jacob, to be the eternal homeland of the Jewish people. Throughout history, Jews have been torn from their land again and again by leaders who are now remembered with contempt in the pages of history."

The rabbi wrote the letter following Australia's recognition of a Palestinian state and amid rising antisemitism in the country. "Today, you have an opportunity to stand on the side of truth and justice," he continued. "By reversing this act of betrayal, you will not only honor the Jewish people and our heritage, but also stand with the word of God. If you choose this path, you will be welcomed home with open arms and even a warm Shabbat meal. I bless you in advance for having the courage to do what is right and to stand firm against this act of apostasy. In hope and prayer, Rabbi Eli Schlanger."

Rabbi Eliyahu Schlanger, a Chabad emissary (שליח – a rabbi sent to serve Jewish communities worldwide) in Sydney, had recently celebrated the birth of his son. He had been responsible for a commemoration project for those killed in the Meron disaster and organized a memorial evening for emissaries murdered in recent years, including the Holtzberg couple from Mumbai and Rabbi Kogan from Dubai. According to Chabad, he did much to commemorate the victims of the October 7 massacre, and the security of the Jewish people was foremost on his mind. "The bullets of the vile murderers reached him at an event he organized for thousands of Jews – but no bullet can reach the enormous light he spread. He was an angel who took to heart the loss of Jews everywhere."

Shimmy Segal, Chabad spokesman, said, "This is a very difficult day. I knew Rabbi Eli, a very dear man who just weeks ago celebrated his son's brit milah (Jewish circumcision ceremony). This is a difficult situation to digest. This tragic and unexpected event occurred on the first day of Hanukkah (the eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights) at a massive Chabad event, to our understanding, attended by more than 2,000 people. Eli, whom I knew personally, was one of the central emissaries in Sydney and the organizer of this event."

Segal added, "It's very difficult to speak about Eli in the past tense. He was a living man, full of energy, who led the community and was a good friend. He was a guy with a constant smile, an accessible person you could always turn to, and a father to a wonderful family. His character was revealed in full force when he visited Israel just days after October 7. He came on his own initiative to strengthen others, which speaks to a person who thinks only about how he can help others. Eli used to say a phrase that now takes on a chilling meaning: 'The whole world comes to darken – we come to illuminate.'"

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Holiday foods: Hanukkah is associated with foods fried in oil – sufganiyot (jelly donuts) with various fillings and levivot (potato pancakes). In recent years, innovative recipes have driven social media trends. In our food section, you'll find all the hottest trends and recipes to make your holiday special.

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He insisted, "There is no place for this hate, violence and terrorism in our nation, and let me be clear, we will eradicate it. Amidst this vile act of violence and hate will emerge a moment of national unity." Albanese promised, "Our security agencies will provide you with factual updates as quickly as possible." He termed the shooting "an act of evil antisemitism, terrorism, that has struck the heart of our nation."

"The evil that was unleashed today at Bondi Beach is beyond comprehension," he remarked, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. He concluded, "Every Australian tonight will be, like me, devastated. The trauma and loss that families are dealing with tonight is beyond anyone's worst nightmare." Australians have had their lives cruelly stolen and many have been injured."

Separately, NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon stated that improvised explosive devices were discovered in a vehicle on Campbell Parade, the street just next to the beach. "We have our rescue bomb disposal unit there," Lanyon told The Sydney Morning Herald. He added, "They will take the appropriate action." The car was "linked to the deceased offender," he noted.

Australian police sources revealed the identity of one of the terrorists who killed 11 people at a Hanukkah party at Bondi Beach in Sydney, the Australian news network ABC reported on Sunday.

According to the report, the shooter is Naveed Akram, an Australian citizen of Pakistani descent, 24, who resided in Sydney. The news network confirmed that his driver's license was exposed by social media users and that the details in the photo are authentic, and his home in the Sydney suburb of Bonnyrigg was being raided by law-enforcement officials.

The network did not report the motive for which the young Muslim man carried out the massacre. Social media users found documentation of the man participating in religious classes at a local Islamic center in Sydney.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns updated the public, stating the attack was designed to target Sydney's Jewish community on the first day of Hanukkah, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. He expressed that the state's heart bleeds for the Jewish community, imagining the pain of seeing loved ones killed during the holiday. Minns described the investigation as massive and complex, acknowledging that while answers were scarce, the city had some crucial information.

Minns cited the support from ordinary Australians and the pressure faced by police – who he said did not falter – as key elements. He also noted the extraordinary acts of personal courage by individuals willing to risk their lives to help others.

Julian Leeser, federal MP for Berowra, released a statement. "Tonight's unfolding terror attack at Bondi Beach, occurring on the first night of Chanukah, is a horrifying tragedy," he said, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. "For Australians, tonight has turned into one of grief and shock."

Leeser urged, "We must come together, check in on one another, support our Jewish friends and offer comfort where it is needed." He added, "My heart goes out to those who were in Bondi, spending time with their family and friends, only to be confronted with fear and violence."

"Our Jewish community, which is known for its courage and stoicism, is shaken tonight," Leeser observed. He continued, "I want to thank the NSW Police officers, paramedics, other first responders and members of the public who moved swiftly to protect lives and secure the area under extremely difficult circumstances." He finished, "Even in darkness, light endures. Tonight, the values at the heart of Chanukah matter more than ever."

The Sydney Morning Herald noted Leeser was the first Jewish person elected to the House from NSW for the Liberals. Commissioner Lanyon formally designated the event a terrorist act. "At 9.36pm, I declared this to be a terrorist incident," he said.

Lanyon confirmed special powers were active, stating "and we are currently investigating that at the moment – we will make sure that we prevent any further activity." He noted one shooter was dead and another hospitalized. The commissioner requested calm. "We have police right around the city at the moment," he said. "Our job is to respond to intelligence we get."

He added, "The police responded quickly. The police have responded in numbers. We have a significant investigation underway at the moment." Premier Minns confirmed the death toll. "As of now, there are at least 12 individuals that have been killed," he told The Sydney Morning Herald.

"One of the shooters has also been killed," Minns added. Lanyon clarified the 12 dead included the offender. Minns convened a crisis cabinet meeting to coordinate the response, delaying his media appearance.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the violence. "I am horrified and condemn today's heinous deadly attack on Jewish families gathered in Sydney to celebrate Hanukkah," he said, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. "My heart is with the Jewish community worldwide on this first day of Hanukkah, a festival celebrating the miracle of peace and light vanquishing darkness."

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Throughout the conversation with him, more and more prayer requests arrived for those wounded in the mass-casualty attack that occurred in his city. He said that one of the terrorists was young, born in 2001, according to a photo of his driver's license that circulated in Jewish groups in the city.

Video: PM Albanese on the Hanukkah massacre / Credit: Reuters

"I agree 100% with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, who placed responsibility on the Australian government," Dr. Zeloof said firmly. "Australia has leadership that has allowed countless antisemitic incidents and let them pass without response. After the October 7 massacre, there were violent demonstrations calling 'death to Jews' and 'Jews need to be choked with gas.'

"There was one massive demonstration that blocked the Sydney bridge, the main artery of the city, and all this without response. Even when there are attacks on Jewish-owned businesses, there is almost no response from law enforcement authorities. This is a very dangerous slippery slope."

During the attack, Dr. Zeloof was celebrating the first evening of Hanukkah at another massive Jewish event in the north of the city. He testified that everyone was in shock, but no one was surprised. "There was deep sorrow in us and tremendous anger at the government that does nothing against this toxic wave.

"But without a doubt, the writing was on the wall. I spoke with people from the Jewish community's security, and they told me that such a scenario is their ultimate nightmare. They prepared for it. There were many community security personnel at the event I attended, and there was almost no police at all. The police only arrived after the attack began. Of course, I would have been happy to see much more police at such events."

Dr. Zeloof left England several years ago because he felt he couldn't carry his Jewish identity openly in the streets for fear that people would attack him. Until about two years ago, he felt safe in Australia, but recently, when those same feelings returned and arose there too, the Zeloof family has been planning their upcoming move to Israel in another two and a half months. He wants to emphasize that this step does not come from rejection or fear, but rather from love of Israel and a desire to be in a place where Jewish history is unfolding.

This evening, before he calmed his children and put them to sleep, he remembered how, when the news about the attack arrived at the event he attended, he saw Jews removing their kippas and fleeing in a run. "I am devastated and shocked by this attack, and I fear that following it, Jews will participate less in public events to strengthen Jewish identity and support for Israel. At the same time, I fear that such events will repeat themselves because I have no faith in the government to act forcefully against the desire to murder Jews. In my opinion, this is only the beginning."

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Local media reported that while one suspect discharged a firearm from a grassy area adjacent to the Campbell Parade parking lot, the civilian moved toward him. As the assailant continued shooting, a figure dressed in black trousers and a white shirt utilized vehicles in the parking area for cover to advance stealthily, local media noted.

Video: Member of the public overpowers terrorist / Credit: Social media

Upon closing the distance, the man tackled the suspect, engaging in a physical struggle until he successfully disarmed him and forced the individual to the pavement. The civilian then aimed the confiscated weapon at the aggressor, causing the suspect to retreat toward the bridge where a second accomplice was positioned.

Video: The site of the shooting in Bondi Beach / Credit: Social media

According to the footage described by local media, the bystander leaned the firearm on a tree and withdrew, while a different individual pursued the fleeing suspect and hurled an object in his direction.

An active shooter situation at Sydney's Bondi Beach prompted law enforcement deployment Sunday evening just after 7 p.m. , with reports indicating it happened at or near the event held by the Jewish community held  to mark the start of Hanukkah, local media reported in Australia. One attacker was arrested, and another one shot dead, with local media reporting at least three fatalities, although it it was unclear if this included the attacker. The event marking the beginning of the Jewish holiday was branded as Hanukkah by the Sea, run by the local Jewish chapter of Chabad. Chabad confirmed a shalich, whose job is to bring Jews closer to their community and faith, was among the dead.

It was not immediately clear how many of the attendees were hurt. Police officer, child among the injured. Police said they were trying to see if a nearby bridge where the shooters were placed was also boobytrapped with explosives.

Officials labeled the incident as "developing" through social platforms while advising residents to evacuate the vicinity, ABC News indicated. According to local radio, there has been at least one casualty, with people hiding in nearby buildings and restaurants. Some reports indicate 20 shots were fired.

"I saw at least 10 people on the ground and blood everywhere," witness tells local paper. NSW Police say two people are in police custody after active shooters fire dozens of shots. Incident took place during public lighting dubbed "Hanukkah by the Sea."

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"Anyone at the scene should take shelter. Police are on scene and more information will be provided when it comes to hand," authorities stated, according to ABC News.

"In lock down at the back. Just hear sirens and hear bangs but not sure if it's more gun shots," Twitter user Lauri Geordie told Israel Hayom. "Stuck in a restaurant in Bondi Beach now hiding," she wrote when the initial attack began. 

MASS SHOOTING AT BONDI BEACH

LIVE PHOTOS pic.twitter.com/pxx9WV4dhF

— Drew Pavlou (@DrewPavlou) December 14, 2025

Emergency personnel have also deployed to the site, the outlet confirmed. "Attention media – please share our message for members of the public to avoid Bondi Beach area as the police operation continues. We are still asking people in the area to take shelter until we can determine what is happening. We have media officer en route to scene, more information when confirmed," the New South Wales Police Force said on X. "NSW Police respond to active shooter reports at Bondi Beach in Sydney's eastern suburbs. Authorities urge public to avoid area as emergency services deploy. According to some reports, this took place during public lighting of first candle of the Jewish festival of lights," it continued.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's administration confirmed knowledge of an "active security situation" in Bondi. "We urge people in the vicinity to follow information from NSW Police," a government representative declared.

Video: The arrest of the suspects at Bondi Beach / Credit: Screenshot

Elizabeth Mealey, who was having dinner in the Icebergs restaurant, was quoted on ABC. "We thought it was fireworks, but it wasn't — it was something much worse," she told the ABC."People started running right up the beach. It was panic, and the panic spread to Icebergs, and people are standing around still not knowing what's going on, so it's scary. It felt like it took a long time to hear a siren, we've got a helicopter coming in now and an ambulance is arriving. It's pandemonium and we really don't know what's happening."

She continued, describing the mayhem as people tried to escape:"We did hear what sounded like another type of gunfire eventually, which we were hoping and assuming was police shooting back, and after that went a bit quieter but still kept up. At this point, we are assuming it's over, but no one really knows," she said. "It's terrifying".

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According to him, "Honestly, this is a strange and thoughtless decision. If Netanyahu had agreed at the beginning to open the crossing according to the agreement, he would have achieved the following things – respect from the international community, embarrassment for Egypt, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians would have left, only a few hundred would have entered, and the US would have received this as a gift. This is a diplomatic failure."

Nevertheless, Israel views this as an appropriate sanction for the ongoing delay in delivering all deceased hostages.

That is, first a Palestinian police force would be deployed, then a technocratic government would be established, and the PA would return to managing the Strip, and only at the end would the disarmament process begin. According to this proposal, the weapons would pass to the custody of the Palestinian Authority, which would oversee their storage, and its role would be to prevent terrorists from accessing them. It has also been reported that Doha and Ankara are proposing an alternative to the PA: "international supervision."

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Ran's story of heroism began on the morning of October 7. He was at his home in Mitar on medical leave, with a broken shoulder and scheduled for surgery two days later, but he didn't hesitate for a moment when the attack began. "He left the house on his own initiative, dressed in uniform and a vest," his father, Itzik, said. "He wouldn't let his friends fight alone."

Ran drove out, equipped himself, and continued to the Gaza border region. He joined Lt. Col. Guy Madar, and together they operated near Kibbutz Alumim. The two stopped at the gas station at Sa'ad Junction, where they helped evacuate and rescue dozens of survivors from the Nova Festival, under fire and mortal danger.

Eliminated 14 terrorists, and was kidnapped

On his way to Alumim, Ran encountered a heavy ambush that included RPG fire. He was seriously wounded in his hand and leg, but continued fighting despite the injury. He treated himself using a tourniquet and took cover near a tree. Despite his condition, he engaged in close combat and eliminated 14 terrorists. Ran sent his friends warning messages with his location, and the last message was received around 11:00 AM. After his ammunition ran out, he was kidnapped while seriously wounded.

His friends from the Yasam (Israel Police Special Patrol Unit) who fought with him that day in Alumim continue to come to the family's rallies. "These are the guys who fought with Rani," Itzik said with pride. "They don't abandon him."

Two weeks later, the family received official confirmation of the kidnapping, along with a difficult photo showing Ran lying on a motorcycle in Gaza, wounded and captive in the hands of terrorists. "There's no other indication," the parents said. "Not from other hostages, not from stories. Rani was kidnapped alone."

Ran's heroism didn't begin on October 7. It started years earlier, at age 18, with an injury that defied all medical logic. In a fall during a training accident, he broke his femur – "one of the hardest bones to break," Talik said – but simply got up and walked out on his feet. At the hospital, he told his father it was "a small sprain." After a long surgery, the doctor announced that rehabilitation would take more than a year, and Ran would never return to being a combat soldier.

"Itzik and I breathed a sigh of relief," Talik admitted. But then Ran opened his eyes. "Listen very carefully," he told the doctor, "I'm returning to the same place I left off within four months, and you're going to sign off on it." The doctor didn't believe him. But four months later, after hours upon hours of physical therapy, he returned to service. And the doctor approved.

A chilling detail has emerged in recent months. In the months before his kidnapping, Ran watched a series about the Syrian captives. "He knew them by name," his mother described. His brother asked why he was watching something so sad, and Ran answered, "What do you understand? These are Israel's heroes!" That sentence now takes on an almost prophetic meaning. He knew the stories and became a hero himself, who an entire nation is waiting for.

"We were left alone, but not really"

The struggle to bring him home is being conducted almost entirely by the family alone. "There's no money," they said. "The Hostages and Missing Families Forum couldn't continue raising funds to continue the rally at the square, so we opened a crowdfunding campaign. It's not our thing. It's purely to continue the public struggle." The change in protest format, the move to Saturday night rallies in Meitar and at the Kashtot Junction – all of these didn't stem from choice but from necessity.

"We were left alone as we understand it, but not alone really – alone with you," Itzik said at the rally. "It's not so alone, it's together. I wish this were the last Saturday."

"Bringing Rani back is a consensus; everyone knows he needs to come home," the family said. "We need you now more than ever to make it clear to the world that we're not moving to any phase until Rani returns."

And the next phase is what frightens them more than anything – the transition to "phase 2" of the deal, whether under American pressure or for security reasons. "There's concern," Talik admitted. "We understand that the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas are working with us, and the Americans too. Working on Donald Trump. They're dragging out time. That's their interest. And the world must wake up."

The family doesn't hide the fear of the scenario that has hovered over them since day one. They hear the comparison to Ron Arad or Hadar Goldin a lot. "It's something we're afraid of without wanting to be," Talik said. "It's automatic; it's a fear that exists. We know the history."

At the same time, they emphasize that Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad organizations' claim that they "don't know where he is" simply doesn't make sense. "What, did they kidnap a cat and throw it to the bottom of a garbage bin?" they asked. "He's a soldier in uniform, he fought in the middle of a battle. It doesn't make sense that they don't know where he is. We know they're hiding him, and hiding him well."

And facing the doubt that settles in, they repeat their faith. "We haven't received a sign that he's alive from the IDF, and also no sign that he's not. He didn't disappear."

Ran, in the last Hanukkah he spent with the family, was himself, his smile, his altruism, his historical knowledge, and his good heart. "He's someone who loves people, someone who goes out first to protect and comes out last, the gatherer of everyone," the parents said.

"Rani is my son, but he's everyone's child," Itzik said. And now, they said, it's our turn to be his gatherer. "We need to unite in this message. We won't be able to recover – not us as a family and not the state – until this circle is closed. He went out to protect us, and now it's our turn to protect him. May we have a great miracle."

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For years, Saad topped Israel's target list, evading numerous assassination attempts until Saturday's successful strike. Together with Izz al-Din Haddad, who now leads Hamas' military apparatus in Gaza, he stood as the sole survivor among the organization's pre-war senior leadership and among the handful who knew the intimate details of Hamas' assault blueprint, which Israel designated "Wall of Jericho" (Hamas's operational code for the October 7 attack).

Israel justified Saad's elimination by pointing to his ongoing efforts to reconstitute Hamas' capabilities and an explosive device that injured two reserve soldiers near the southern Strip on Friday. Yet these explanations appear tailored for Washington's consumption: The authentic motivation boils down to a score Israel had to settle with him – or stated plainly, vengeance.

By Saturday evening, Hamas had yet to acknowledge Saad's death. The silence might reflect internal disarray, though questions remain whether the organization retains meaningful retaliatory capacity. Hamas has hemorrhaged most of its military strength alongside its military and civilian leadership throughout the war, leaving it organizationally shattered. Currently it channels its remaining resources toward consolidating control over the Strip's western sector, which stays under its authority. Israel presumably factored this weakness into its assassination calculus, which earned unanimous backing from the diplomatic-security establishment's uppermost echelons.

The singular gamble Israel appears to have accepted concerns the Washington administration. Saad's elimination provides Israel an opportunity to gauge President Donald Trump's temperature, for whom the Gaza accord stands as his first presidential term's marquee diplomatic accomplishment. Trump recently pressed Israel to throttle back its Gaza operations, affording space for the agreement's advancement; if he refrains from erupting now, Israel can interpret his silence as tacit authorization to persist in eliminating Gaza's senior hierarchy, mirroring its Lebanon approach.

Hamas will naturally strive to derail this trajectory, mobilizing its Qatari and Turkish sponsors hoping they'll persuade Trump to muzzle Israel. This contest for the president's attention – and by extension his policy direction – will dictate Gaza's near-term landscape. Israel seeks maximum postponement of transitioning to Phase 2, apprehensive it will mandate further withdrawals absent fundamental shifts in Gaza's circumstances. It partially attributes delays to Hamas' failure to return fallen hostage Ran Gvili, with Hamas contending that Israeli intelligence leads proved fruitless in pinpointing his location.

Three unpalatable paths

Meanwhile, Americans wrestle with assembling a multinational contingent to shoulder Gaza's security burden and execute its demilitarization. Simultaneously, mobilizing the billions required for the Strip's reconstruction proceeds at glacial speed: precisely as before, a chasm yawns between verbal pledges and written commitments. Trump must deploy his full leverage extracting promised funding – including from prosperous nations, principally Saudi Arabia – lest he grow tempted to embrace Qatari financing once more.

This tangle poses difficulties for Israel by generating three unpalatable paths. First, the grandiose promises yield nothing and Hamas continues governing overtly. Second, Americans declare victory prematurely, accepting a phantom governing structure masking Hamas' continued dominance. Third, the accord disintegrates entirely, forcing Israel back into comprehensive Gaza combat – bearing its physical, economic and diplomatic toll.

Israel will likely endeavor provisionally, at least publicly, to afford the agreement implementation opportunities as Trump desires. The assassination will be rationalized, as noted, through immediate operational necessity, simultaneously insisting Hamas cease its ongoing violations. Meanwhile, deliberately avoiding excessive administration irritation and projecting restraint, Israel shelved plans Friday to strike Hezbollah installations in Lebanon.

Israel maintained the scheduled operation was aborted because the Lebanese Armed Forces requested (and obtained) the intended target and pledged to address it independently. This signals encouragingly that threats of escalating military pressure toward renewed warfare are producing results, propelling the Lebanese Armed Forces toward action. Prudence nevertheless counsels withholding definitive conclusions: presently the probability of another Hezbollah confrontation remains elevated, merely deferred temporarily.

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