At least 15 people were killed when two gunmen opened fire at a Hanukkah celebration on Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday evening. Australian authorities have declared it a terrorist attack targeting the Jewish community.
The shooting began around 6:45 pm local time on Sunday at Bondi Beach in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
Around 1,000 people gathered for “Chanukah by the Sea,” an annual event organised by Chabad of Bondi to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah.
The gunmen dressed in black opened fire with long guns from a footbridge leading to the beach, firing for approximately 10 minutes.
Witnesses described chaos and panic as hundreds of people fled along the sand and into nearby streets, many abandoning their belongings.
The casualties
Table of Contents
- 1. The casualties
- 2. The suspects
- 3. The hero
- 4. The response
- 5. What impact did the Port Arthur massacre have on Australian firearms regulations?
- 6. Bondi Beach Shooting: A Knowledge Dossier
- 7. Hanukkah and its Significance
- 8. Antisemitism: A Past Overview
- 9. Terrorism in Australia
- 10. Firearms Regulations in New South Wales (NSW), Australia
Fifteen people were killed in the attack. One of the gunmen was also shot dead by police, while the other remains in critical condition.
At least 40 people were hospitalised with injuries, ranging in age from 10 to 87. Three children remain under observation.
Two police officers were among those shot and are in serious condition after undergoing surgery.
Victims identified so far include Rabbi Eli Schlanger, assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi and a key organiser of the event, a 12-year-old girl, Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman, French citizen Dan Elkayam, and an Israeli citizen, according to Israel’s Foreign Ministry.
The suspects
Police have identified the two attackers as father and son.
The father, aged 50, was shot and killed by police at the scene. He was a licensed firearms dealer with six firearms registered to him, according to NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon.
The son, 24, is in critical but stable condition under police custody.
One of the gunmen has been identified as Naveed Akram from Bonnyrigg in Sydney’s south-west.
Police raided a home in Bonnyrigg linked to one of the suspects.
ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess confirmed one of the attackers was known to the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation but was not considered an immediate threat.
Authorities initially investigated whether a third person was involved but are no longer looking for additional suspects.
Police found and removed improvised explosive devices from a vehicle on Campbell Parade linked to one of the gunmen.
The hero
Video footage showed a man in a white shirt tackling one of the gunmen from behind and wrestling his rifle away.
Australian media have identified him as Ahmed al-Ahmed, 43, a fruit stand owner from Sydney.
Al-Ahmed was shot twice during the struggle, once in his arm and once in his hand. He underwent surgery and is recovering.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns called him “a genuine hero,” saying, “There are many, many people alive tonight as a result of his bravery.”
The response
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared it “an act of pure evil, an act of antisemitism, an act of terrorism.”
“This was an attack deliberately targeted at the Jewish community on the first day of Hanukkah,” he said. “An attack on Jewish Australians is an attack on every Australian.”
Police declared it a terrorist incident on Sunday night local time. Australia’s counter-terrorism unit is leading the investigation. Flags across Australia are flying at half-mast.
World leaders condemned the attack. French President Emmanuel Macron called it “an antisemitic terrorist attack” and vowed to continue fighting “antisemitic hatred” in a post on X.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said Israeli hearts “go out to our Jewish sisters and brothers in Sydney” and called on Australia to fight “the enormous wave of antisemitism.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed the Australian government for “pouring fuel on this antisemitic fire.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said “antisemitism has no place in this world.”
“Our prayers are with the victims of this horrific attack, the Jewish community, and the people of Australia,” Rubio said.
Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla said they were “appalled and saddened by the most dreadful antisemitic terrorist attack” and commended the heroic actions of police and bystanders.
“In times of hurt, Australians always rally together in unity and resolve. I know that the spirit of community and love that shines so brightly in Australia — and the light at the heart of the Hanukkah Festival — will always triumph over the darkness of such evil,” King Charles III said in a statement.
The attack is the deadliest mass shooting in Australia since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, when a lone gunman killed 35 people in Tasmania. That tragedy led to sweeping gun control reforms.
Australia has experienced a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents since October 2023. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) documented 1,654 anti-Jewish incidents between October 2024 and September of this year, nearly five times the pre-October 2023 average.
Recent antisemitic attacks in Australia include arson attacks on a Melbourne synagogue and a Sydney kosher restaurant in 2024, which authorities linked to Iran.
Bondi Beach is one of Australia’s most famous beaches, attracting more than 2 million tourists in 2024. Sydney’s eastern suburbs are home to about one-third of Australia’s 150,000-strong Jewish community.
What impact did the Port Arthur massacre have on Australian firearms regulations?
Bondi Beach Shooting: A Knowledge Dossier
Hanukkah and its Significance
Hanukkah, also known as the festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Second temple in Jerusalem during the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire in the 2nd century BCE. The story centers around the miracle of the oil, where a small amount of oil meant to last for one day miraculously burned for eight days, allowing the Temple menorah to remain lit.
Key Observances:
* Menorah Lighting: The central ritual involves lighting a nine-branched candelabrum (Hanukkiah), adding one candle each night. The ninth candle, the shamash, is used to light the others.
* Dreidel: A four-sided spinning top with Hebrew letters on each side, used in a traditional game.
* Special Foods: Foods fried in oil, such as latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly donuts), are eaten to commemorate the miracle of the oil.
* Gifts (Chanukah Gelt): The custom of giving gifts, frequently enough money, has become increasingly popular, particularly in modern times.
Hanukkah is a festivity of religious freedom, resilience, and the triumph of light over darkness. Its timing varies each year as it follows the Hebrew calendar.
Antisemitism: A Past Overview
Antisemitism, hostility to or prejudice against Jews, has a long and tragic history, dating back to ancient times.It has manifested in various forms throughout the centuries, including:
* religious Antisemitism: Rooted in theological differences, particularly the accusation that Jews were responsible for the death of jesus. This was prevalent in medieval Europe.
* Economic Antisemitism: Jews were ofen restricted from owning land or joining guilds, leading them to pursue professions like moneylending, which fueled resentment and stereotypes.
* Racial Antisemitism: Emerging in the 19th century with pseudoscientific theories claiming Jews were a distinct and inferior race. This formed the basis of Nazi ideology.
* Political Antisemitism: Using Jews as scapegoats for political or economic problems.
Key Historical Events:
* The Crusades (11th-13th centuries): Widespread persecution and massacres of Jewish communities in europe.
* The Spanish Inquisition (1478-1834): Forced conversion, expulsion, and persecution of Jews in Spain and its colonies.
* The Pogroms (19th-20th centuries): Violent riots against Jewish communities in Eastern Europe.
* The Holocaust (1933-1945): The systematic genocide of approximately six million Jews by the Nazi regime.
Antisemitism continues to be a global problem, manifesting in hate speech, vandalism, and violence. Organizations like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Southern poverty Law Center (SPLC) track antisemitic incidents and provide resources for combating hate.
Terrorism in Australia
Australia has experienced several terrorist incidents, tho on a smaller scale than many other Western nations.
Notable Attacks:
* 1978 Hilton Hotel Bombing (Sydney): A bomb exploded during a Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, killing one and injuring 13.
* 1986 russell Street Bombing (Melbourne): A bomb detonated outside the Russell Street Police Headquarters, killing one and injuring 22.
* 2002 Bali Bombings: While occurring in Indonesia, a significant number of Australian citizens (88) were among the 202 killed in the terrorist attack.
* 2014 Lindt Cafe Siege (Sydney): A lone gunman held hostages at a Lindt cafe in Sydney for 16 hours, resulting in the deaths of two hostages and the gunman.
Counter-Terrorism Measures:
Australia has a robust counter-terrorism framework, including:
* ASIO (Australian Security Intelligence Organisation): The primary domestic intelligence agency responsible for identifying and disrupting threats to national security.
* AFP (Australian Federal Police): Responsible for investigating and prosecuting terrorism offences.
* National Counter Terrorism Committee (NCTC): Coordinates Australia’s counter-terrorism efforts.
* Legislation: A series of laws have been enacted to strengthen counter-terrorism powers, including those related to surveillance, detention, and foreign fighters.
Firearms Regulations in New South Wales (NSW), Australia
Australia has some of the strictest gun control laws in the world, implemented after the Port arthur massacre in 1996. NSW, like other states, operates under a national framework but has its own specific
