SYDNEY — A bystander who tackled and disarmed one of the Bondi Beach gunmen has been identified as Ahmed al-Ahmed, a 43-year-old fruit shop owner from Sydney's Sutherland Shire.

Video footage shows Ahmed, wearing a white T-shirt, charging one of the shooters from behind, wrestling away his rifle and then pointing it at the attacker, who retreated towards a bridge where the second gunman was positioned.

Ahmed then placed the rifle against a tree and raised his hands, apparently to signal to police he was not a threat.

During the struggle, Ahmed was shot twice by the second gunman..

Ahmed, a fruit shop owner and father of two, remains in hospital, where he has undergone surgery for bullet wounds to his arm and hand, his family told 7News Australia.

Fifteen people died and dozens were injured in the shooting on Sunday night, which took place as more than 1,000 people attended an event to celebrate Hanukkah. Police have declared it a terrorist incident targeting the Jewish community.

"We hope he'll be okay," his cousin Mustafa told Australian media outside the hospital. "He's a hero, one hundred percent."

Mustafa said Ahmed has no firearms experience and was simply visiting Bondi Beach when the attack began.

In an update early on Monday, Mustafa said: "I hope he will be fine. I saw him last night. He was alright but we're waiting to see what the doctor (says)."

The footage of Ahmed's intervention has been shared widely online.

It shows one of the gunmen standing behind a palm tree near a small pedestrian bridge, aiming and shooting his gun towards a target out of shot.

Ahmed, who was hiding behind a parked car, is seen leaping out at the attacker, whom he tackles.

He manages to wrestle the gun from the attacker, pushes him to the ground and points the gun towards him. The attacker begins to retreat back to the bridge.

Ahmed then lowers the weapon and raises one hand in the air, appearing to show police he was not one of the shooters.

The same attacker is later seen on the bridge picking up another weapon and firing again.

Another gunman also continues firing from the bridge. It's unclear who or what they are aiming at.

At a news conference late on Sunday, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns paid tribute to the bravery of Ahmed, who was unnamed at the time.

"That man is a genuine hero, and I've got no doubt there are many, many people alive tonight as a result of his bravery."

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: "We have seen Australians today run towards danger in order to help others.

"These Australians are heroes, and their bravery has saved lives."

Speaking at a White House Christmas reception, US President Donald Trump also praised Ahmed, saying he had "great respect" for him.

"It's been a very, very brave person, actually, who went and attacked frontally one of the shooters, and saved a lot of lives," he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Ahmed during a government meeting in Dimona on Sunday.

"We saw an action of a brave man — turns out a Muslim brave man, and I salute him — that stopped one of these terrorists from killing innocent Jews," Netanyahu said.

The attack occurred around 6:45 pm local time at Bondi Beach during a Hanukkah celebration attended by around 1,000 people.

Police have confirmed two attackers were involved — a father and son. The 50-year-old father was killed by police at the scene, while the 24-year-old son remains in critical but stable condition.

Authorities initially investigated whether a third person was involved but are no longer looking for additional suspects. —Agencies