TWO gunmen opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration at Australia’s iconic Bondi Beach on Sunday evening, killing at least 11 people and injuring 29 others in what authorities are calling an antisemitic terrorist attack – the deadliest mass shooting to strike the nation in nearly three decades.
The massacre unfolded around 6:47 p.m. local time as approximately 1,000 Jewish families had gathered for “Chanukah by the Sea,” a public celebration of the first night of Hanukkah organised by Chabad of Bondi. What should have been a joyous festival of lights descended into chaos and bloodshed as the gunmen fired approximately 50 rounds from semi-automatic rifles into the crowd.
“This is a targeted attack on Jewish Australians on the first day of Hanukkah, which should be a day of joy, a celebration of faith,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a nationally televised address. “An act of evil, antisemitism, terrorism that has struck the heart of our nation.”
Among the dead is Rabbi Eli Schlanger, an assistant rabbi with Chabad of Bondi and key organiser of the event. A 12-year-old girl and an Israeli citizen were also killed, officials confirmed. Another victim has been identified as Alex Kleytman, a Holocaust survivor originally from Ukraine who had celebrated Hanukkah at Bondi Beach for many years. At least two police officers are among the critically injured.
Act of Extraordinary Courage
In the midst of the carnage, footage captured a moment of extraordinary bravery that likely saved countless lives. Ahmed al Ahmed, a 43-year-old father of two who owns a fruit business in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire, charged at one of the gunmen from behind, wrestling the rifle from his hands in a fierce struggle.
Video broadcast across Australian television shows al Ahmed briefly pointing the weapon at the disarmed attacker before carefully placing the rifle against a tree. Moments later, the second gunman – positioned on a nearby footbridge – opened fire on al Ahmed, striking him twice in the arm and shoulder. The first gunman then retrieved another weapon and resumed firing.
“That man is a genuine hero, and I’ve got no doubt that there are many, many people alive tonight as a result of his bravery,” said Chris Minns, Premier of New South Wales. “The most unbelievable scene I’ve ever seen.”
Al Ahmed, who had no firearms training, is recovering in the hospital and is expected to survive.
Terror Unfolds
Witnesses described scenes of horror as panicked crowds scattered across the popular beach, desperately seeking cover behind lampposts, walls, and parked cars. Some ran into the ocean. Others sheltered in nearby cafes and restaurants that went into immediate lockdown.
Arsen Ostrovsky, a Jewish community leader who was struck in the head during the attack, told local media the violence erupted without warning. “All of a sudden, it’s absolute chaos. There are guns, fire everywhere, people ducking,” he said. “I saw blood gushing in front of me. People were hit and fell to the ground. My only concern was: where are my kids, where’s my wife, where’s my family?”
One gunman was killed by police at the scene. The second suspect, identified by the ABC as Naveed Akram, 24, from Bonnyrigg in Sydney’s southwest, was shot by police and taken into custody in critical condition. Police later discovered and removed a suspected improvised explosive device from a vehicle on Campbell Parade.
Authorities confirmed that one of the attackers was known to the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), though not as an immediate threat.
Rising Antisemitism
The attack comes amid a documented surge in antisemitic incidents across Australia following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza. While antisemitic incidents reportedly declined 19 percent in 2025 compared to 2024, according to the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, the Jewish community has experienced numerous attacks, including arson at synagogues and widespread graffiti.
Israeli officials reacted with fury, with some accusing the Australian government of failing to adequately address the threat. Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Heskel said her government had “warned the Australian government time and time again that a terror attack was inevitable if the government didn’t do more to combat antisemitism.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu noted that “antisemitic protesters shouted ‘gas the Jews’ outside the Sydney Opera House” in October 2023, adding that the government had repeatedly warned of the dangers.
The attack has triggered an outpouring of international condemnation. King Charles III, Australia’s head of state, said he was “appalled and saddened” by the “most dreadful antisemitic terrorist attack.” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio strongly condemned the violence, while leaders from France, India, New Zealand, and Britain expressed solidarity with Australia’s Jewish community.
Major cities, including London, Berlin, and New York, have announced increased security at Hanukkah celebrations in response to the attack.
As Sydney awakens to the aftermath of its worst mass shooting since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre – which led to some of the world’s strictest gun control laws – the nation faces difficult questions about security, antisemitism, and how such a heavily armed attack could occur in a country known for its tough firearms regulations.
Police investigations are ongoing, with authorities examining whether additional suspects were involved in planning or executing the attack.
