SYDNEY — A festive Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach transformed into a scene of terror Sunday evening when two assailants opened fire on hundreds of Jewish community members gathered for the annual ‘Channukah by the Sea’ event. The attack, which authorities have classified as an antisemitic act of terrorism, claimed at least 15 lives and shattered Australia’s longstanding sense of security regarding gun violence.
At approximately 6:40 p.m., as families enjoyed the summer evening overlooking Australia’s most iconic beach, gunshots erupted without warning. The picturesque setting—where children had been petting zoo animals and climbing rock walls moments earlier—descended into chaos as revelers scrambled for cover from the sustained assault.
Rebecca, a 33-year-old mother who requested anonymity for safety concerns, described throwing herself over her 5-year-old son beneath a food table. ‘Please don’t let us die,’ she recalled praying while pulling beverage buckets over their bodies for concealment. Just inches away, a man was struck in the chest by a bullet, uttering his final words to her as she attempted to comfort him.
The attack lasted approximately seven minutes according to eyewitness footage obtained by The Associated Press, during which panicked beachgoers fled in all directions. Some swimmers and surfers rushed toward shore while others sought refuge in the Tasman Sea, including one woman who ran fully clothed into the ocean upon hearing the shots.
The response included both heroic civilian intervention and subsequent police action. Ahmed al Ahmed, a local fruit shop owner and father identified by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, reportedly tackled one shooter and wrestled away his firearm despite being shot in the shoulder. Police eventually engaged both suspects, fatally wounding the 50-year-old alleged perpetrator while injuring his 24-year-old son, who remains hospitalized.
Among the victims were a 10-year-old girl, a Holocaust survivor, and a respected rabbi—losses that have deeply shaken Australia’s Jewish community. The tragedy has raised urgent questions about rising antisemitism, with survivors noting increased tensions in Sydney and Melbourne over the past year. Many expressed frustration that authorities had not adequately addressed growing concerns before the attack.
The incident represents one of Australia’s deadliest mass shootings in decades, particularly striking in a nation with strict firearm regulations that has largely avoided such violence common in other Western countries. As memorials grow at Bondi Beach, the international community watches how Australia will respond to this targeted act of hatred and its implications for religious freedom and public safety worldwide.