A mass shooting at Sydney’s famed Bondi Beach has left at least 12 people dead and several others injured, following an attack on a Jewish community event celebrating the first night of Hanukkah, authorities confirmed Monday.
Eyewitness video and accounts depict a scene of chaos as two gunmen opened fire at the tourist hotspot, sending panicked beachgoers fleeing for shelter. New South Wales Police confirmed that one suspect is deceased and a second is critically injured following the incident.
The attack targeted a Hanukkah celebration on the beach. An eyewitness at the scene described the moment the assault began. “I was just around the corner. I saw people running past… and then more people ran past and said there’s a shooter, there’s a mass shooting,” they said. “I heard the gunshots.”
Another witness emphasized the familial nature of the gathering, stating, “It was a Hanukkah event. It was a Jewish event. It was full of grandparents and grandchildren celebrating the religious event together. It was a community event.” The witness reported hearing “a few hundred shots.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addressed the nation, condemning the violence. “This is a targeted attack on Jewish Australians on the first day of Hanukkah. An act of evil anti-semitism, terrorism that has struck the heart of our nation,” he said. “An attack on Jewish Australians is an attack on every Australian. And every Australian tonight will be like me, devastated by this attack on our way of life.”
International condemnation followed swiftly. Israeli President Isaac Herzog issued a statement condemning the “cruel terrorist attack.” He said, “These very moments, our sisters and brothers in Sydney, Australia are being attacked by vile terrorists in a very cruel attack on Jews who went to light the first candle of Hanukkah on Bondi Beach. Our heart goes out to them.”
President Herzog also called for action, stating, “We repeat our alerts time and again to the Australian government to seek action and fight against the enormous wave of anti-semitism which is plaguing Australian society.”
The investigation, led by New South Wales Police, is ongoing. Authorities have pledged to provide further information as it is confirmed. The community remains in a state of shock following the deadly violence at one of the country’s most iconic locations.
