Sydney was plunged into shock on Sunday evening after a deadly shooting at a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach left at least 15 people dead and dozens injured, Australian authorities confirmed.
The attack occurred around 6:45 pm local time during Chanukah by the Sea, a community event marking the start of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. Hundreds of attendees were gathered at the popular beachfront location when gunfire erupted, triggering panic and a massive emergency response.
New South Wales Police said at least 42 people were taken to hospital, several of them in serious condition. Among the victims were a 10-year-old child and a 40-year-old man who later died from his injuries. Two police officers were also wounded during the incident and are currently receiving medical treatment.
Authorities confirmed that one of the attackers, a 50-year-old man, was shot dead by police at the scene. A second suspect, aged 24, remains in critical condition. Police also discovered two rudimentary improvised explosive devices at the site, which were found to be active, raising serious concerns about the scale and intent of the attack.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the incident as a “terrorist attack” and said it was a targeted act of violence against Jewish Australians. “An attack on Jewish Australians is an attack on all Australians,” he said, vowing zero tolerance for hatred and extremism.
The Orthodox Jewish organisation Chabad later confirmed that Rabbi Eli Schlanger, assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi and one of the event’s organisers, was among those killed.
Disturbing videos circulating on social media appear to show two armed men firing from a nearby footbridge. One widely shared clip shows an unarmed civilian confronting one of the attackers, tackling him and seizing his weapon.
The shooting is the deadliest mass attack in Australia since 2022 and has sent shockwaves through a country where such incidents are rare due to strict gun control laws introduced after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.
International leaders swiftly condemned the violence. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised the Australian government over what he described as rising antisemitism, while Israeli President Isaac Herzog and UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the attack a horrific and hateful act against Jewish families.
Australian authorities have launched a full-scale investigation and announced heightened security measures nationwide as the country grapples with one of its darkest days in recent years.
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