Gunmen opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday, killing at least 11 people and wounding dozens in what Australian authorities described as a targeted antisemitic attack that was later declared a terrorist incident. The shooting unfolded on a hot summer evening at one of the country’s most crowded public beaches, sending hundreds of people running from the sand and nearby promenade as police and paramedics rushed to the scene.
New South Wales Police said 29 people were taken to hospital with injuries, including two police officers. One suspected gunman was killed, while a second was in critical condition, according to Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon, who said investigators were also examining whether a third attacker may have been involved. Authorities also called in specialist bomb-disposal resources after suspicious items, including what were described as suspected improvised explosive devices, were located as part of the response and follow-up searches.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese convened a meeting of Australia’s national security council and condemned the attack in remarks that framed the shooting as an assault on Jewish Australians on a major religious holiday. “The evil that was unleashed was beyond comprehension,” Albanese said. “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,” he said, adding: “At this dark moment for our nation, our police and security agencies are working to determine anyone associated with this outrage.”
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said the attack had been directed at the Jewish community. “This attack was designed to target Sydney’s Jewish community,” Minns said, according to reporting carried by multiple outlets.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene as the sound of gunfire cut through the crowds at Bondi, where the beach and surrounding streets were busy late into the day. Reuters reported that witnesses said the shooting lasted about 10 minutes, and police estimated around 1,000 people had attended the Hanukkah event. As the attack unfolded, people fled along the sand and into nearby streets and parks while emergency services moved to secure the area.
Australian authorities and international leaders pointed to the timing and location as central to the severity of the incident, with the celebration taking place on the first night of Hanukkah at an outdoor gathering. Albanese described the day as a “dark” moment for the country, and the incident immediately prompted heightened security activity around Jewish sites and community events, alongside calls for calm and cooperation with investigators.
In the immediate aftermath, attention turned to the actions of a bystander who confronted one of the attackers. Reuters identified the man as Ahmed al-Ahmed, 43, described by local media as a fruit shop owner, who was filmed charging a gunman from behind, grappling with him and wresting a rifle from his hands. Minns said: “There are many, many people alive tonight as a result of his bravery,” and called him “a genuine hero.”
The attack also claimed the life of Rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41, identified by Chabad and Australian media as an assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi and one of the organisers of the community celebration. ABC reported that his cousin, Rabbi Zalman Lewis, confirmed his death in a social media post. “My dear cousin, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, was murdered in today’s terrorist attack in Sydney,” he wrote. “He leaves behind his wife and young children, as well as my uncle and aunt and siblings. “He was truly an incredible guy.”
Chabad said Schlanger had served the Bondi community for many years, and the organisation described the shooting as an attack on a public Jewish event. Chabad.org reported: “Two gunmen attacked Chabad-Lubavitch of Bondi’s Chanukah event on Bondi Beach killing 11, including Chabad Rabbi Eli Schlanger, and injuring many others.”
The rabbi’s death prompted renewed scrutiny of security concerns voiced by Jewish community leaders during a period of heightened tension linked to the war in Gaza and a rise in antisemitic incidents reported in Australia. Reuters noted the shooting followed a string of antisemitic incidents during the conflict, and cited condemnation from Muslim groups as well as statements from Jewish organisations. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry’s co-chief executive, Alex Ryvchin, told Sky News: “If we were targeted deliberately in this way, it’s something of a scale that none of us could have ever fathomed. It’s a horrific thing.”
ABC reported that Rabbi Schlanger had previously spoken about security preparations around community events in the wake of antisemitic incidents, and noted that attendance at the Bondi Hanukkah gathering had increased in recent years. The broadcaster said Chabad described him as a rabbi and chaplain in the local community for 18 years.
Information that emerged from social media posts in the days surrounding the event gave a clearer sense of the scale of community preparations for Hanukkah celebrations, even as police urged the public to avoid circulating unverified material. The Mirror reported that Schlanger had posted on Facebook in the lead-up to the gathering, writing: “3 day to go!!!!!!!!!! BOOK BOOK BOOK for your free donut.”
Investigators continued to piece together the movements and identities of those responsible as the scale of the casualty list became clearer. ABC said one shooter was killed and another was in custody, and reported that a senior law enforcement official confirmed one of the gunmen was Naveed Akram from Bonnyrigg in Sydney’s south-west. Police have not publicly detailed a motive beyond describing the incident as a terrorist attack and a targeted assault on a Jewish gathering, and the inquiry has included examination of suspicious items found during searches linked to the suspects.
Bondi Beach, Australia ????????, has always been one of the most beautiful paradises on Earth
No one in the world should ever die because of their religion
Never ???? pic.twitter.com/ZHy63qtsRR
— Mambo Italiano (@mamboitaliano__) December 14, 2025
Officials said the presence of explosive devices, if confirmed, would mark an escalation in the planning and potential lethality of the attack. Reuters reported that bomb-disposal units were working on suspected devices and that Australian intelligence officials said one of the suspected attackers was known to authorities but had not been deemed an immediate threat. Authorities have not provided further details about the nature of any prior contact, citing the ongoing investigation.
The shooting drew a swift international response. ABC carried statements from leaders including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who said: “Deeply distressing news from Australia. The United Kingdom sends our thoughts and condolences to everyone affected by the appalling attack in Bondi Beach.” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: “Shocked by the tragic attack at Bondi Beach. I send my heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims. “Europe stands with Australia and Jewish communities everywhere. We are united against violence, antisemitism and hatred.”
King Charles also issued a statement carried by ABC that described the attack as an antisemitic act of terror. “My wife and I are appalled and saddened by the most dreadful antisemitic terrorist attack on Jewish people attending Chanukah celebration at Bondi Beach,” he said. “Our hearts go out to everyone who has been affected so dreadfully, including the police officers who were injured while protecting members of their community.”
In the United States, Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X: “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,” Reuters reported. Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar blamed a failure to tackle antisemitism and linked the attack to rhetoric used in protests. “These are the results of the antisemitic rampage in the streets of Australia over the past two years, with the antisemitic and inciting calls of ‘Globalise the Intifada’ that were realised today,” Saar said, according to Reuters.
The focus for investigators remained on establishing a clear timeline, verifying suspect identities and any associates, and accounting for every casualty. Police also sought to identify how firearms were obtained and moved, and whether any further weapons or devices were placed elsewhere. Mass shootings are rare in Australia, where sweeping gun law reforms followed the 1996 Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania. Reuters said Sunday’s attack was the worst since 1996, underlining the shock across the country and raising questions about how such violence was carried out in a place widely regarded as one of the safest public settings in Australia.
For Bondi’s Jewish community, the attack struck at a public moment of religious celebration, in a space chosen for its visibility and openness. Hanukkah gatherings often include public candle-lighting ceremonies, music and food, and organisers in Bondi had sought to create an event that welcomed families and visitors along the beachfront. That setting, officials said, was precisely what made the attack both traumatic and symbolically significant, as police and political leaders framed it as an assault on religious freedom and community safety.
As hospitals treated the injured and authorities worked to notify families, tributes continued to emerge for the dead. ABC highlighted comments from a survivor, Arsen Ostrovsky, who said he had been injured and described narrowly escaping death. “I Never imagined I’d see this horror in Australia,” he wrote on X. “Bullet grazed my head. Doctors said miracle survived, but will make recovery. “Tonight is 1st night of Chanukah. The forces of darkness and hate will never triumph. We will prevail.”
Police urged anyone with footage or information to assist investigators through official channels as officers expanded cordons and conducted forensic work along Campbell Parade and nearby access points to the beach. Authorities warned against speculation online about the number of attackers or the identities of victims, saying premature claims could hamper inquiries and deepen distress for families. The investigation remained active as officials worked to establish whether the incident involved a wider network and to confirm the full circumstances that enabled the attackers to reach a crowded public celebration with lethal weapons.
