Gefen Bitton, an Israeli who confronted one of the Bondi Beach attackers and was shot three times in the process, touched down in Israel on Friday morning and was admitted to Sheba Medical Center at Tel HaShomer in Ramat Gan for further treatment.
The 30-year-old was in critical condition and underwent eight operations in Sydney, according to outlet Ynet.
He was flown by Hatzolah Air, a U.S.-based nonprofit provider of emergency medical air transport worldwide. The founder and president of the organization, Eli Rowe, captained the mission, flying for about 40 hours in total.
The medical plane started its journey in New York, stopped in Honolulu, Hawaii, to refuel, and from there arrived in Sydney to pick up Bitton. The Hatzolah plane had one more stop in Bangkok, Thailand, before it arrived at Ben-Gurion International Airport.
“Hatzolah Air salutes Israeli hero Gefen Bitton and is proud to have taken part in the mission to bring him to Israel. After a long flight with a professional medical team, we wish him a full recovery,” Walla News quoted Rowe as saying.
“We would do anything to save him. We are excited and blessed to be here in Israel now, and God bless this remarkable man. We wish him a speedy recovery,” Rowe told Hebrew-language outlet Ynet.
The report added that the total cost of the flight amounted to some $500,000.
The staff on the plane totaled eight individuals: an intensive care physician, nurses, paramedics, Rowe and additional flight crew.
The decision to fly Bitton home was made by his family, leaders in the Jewish community in Sydney, and the Israeli Foreign Ministry, according to Walla.
Bitton has been working in Australia for the past three years as a garage door technician.
In video footage, Bitton (dressed in a red shirt)—along with Syrian Australian Ahmed al-Ahmed, who has won universal praise for his heroism—is seen running toward attacker Sajid Akram before being shot. Bitton managed to call his sister in Israel to tell her that he had been wounded before collapsing.
Gefen Biton, un Israélien de 30 ans, a couru vers l'un des terroristes lors de l'attaque à Sydney dans le but de l'éliminer et a été gravement blessé par balle par l'autre terroriste. Son état est toujours critique, il est sous sédation et ventilé dans un hôpital en Australie.… pic.twitter.com/OfDOt3P8Jb
— GENGIS KHAN 🇫🇷 🇮🇱 🌿 (@GENGIS9999) December 20, 2025
On Thursday evening, Bitton’s family shared a post on Instagram, thanking the Jewish community in Sydney for its assistance.
“While [Bitton] is stable enough to fly, his condition is classified as serious,” the post read.
“During the week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, as well as [New South Wales] Premier Chris Minns, [visited] Gefen in hospital to inform him that he had been granted permanent residency, and to show appreciation for his actions.
“They have emphasised their support, and that they would be at his disposal, throughout his long-term rehabilitation. Prime Minister Albanese also floated the idea of a personal meeting with Gefen, once he recovers,” the family wrote.
