On Sunday, two gunmen opened fire during a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach in Sydney, killing a total of 15 people, including a child, authorities announced Monday. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the attack an act of anti-Semitic terrorism that struck "at the heart of the nation . " The gunmen were a father and son, authorities said.
The massacre, which occurred on one of Australia's most popular beaches, follows a wave of anti-Semitic attacks that have shaken the country for the past year. It is the deadliest mass shooting in nearly 30 years in a country with very strict gun laws.
One of the gunmen, a 50-year-old man, was shot dead by police. The other, his 24-year-old son, was wounded and hospitalized, said New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon.
Police said one of the attackers was known to security services, but authorities had no indication of a planned attack, according to Lanyon.
The victims were aged between 10 and 87.
The victims ranged in age from 10 to 87, said New South Wales Premier Chris Minns. At least 42 other people were hospitalized Monday morning, several in critical condition.
“What we witnessed yesterday was an act of absolute evil, an act of antisemitism, an act of terrorism on our soil, in an iconic Australian location, Bondi Beach, associated with joy, family gatherings, and celebrations ,” Anthony Albanese said on Monday. “This place is forever tarnished by what happened.”
The shooting targeted a Jewish celebration
Violence erupted at the end of a summer day, as thousands of people gathered on Bondi Beach, a symbol of Australian cultural life. Among them were hundreds of people who had come to attend the “Chanukah by the Sea” event, celebrating the start of the eight-day Jewish festival of Hanukkah.
The festivities included face painting for children and a petting zoo. Then chaos erupted.
The Orthodox Jewish Chabad movement, which organizes outreach activities worldwide and sponsors events during major Jewish holidays, identified one of the dead as Rabbi Eli Schlanger, associate rabbi of the Chabad of Bondi and organizer of the event.
A Frenchman among the victims
The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed the death of an Israeli citizen, without providing further details. French President Emmanuel Macron announced that a French citizen, identified as Dan Elkayam , was also among the victims.
Testimonies began to emerge in local media on Monday. Larisa Kleytman told reporters outside St. Vincent's Hospital that her husband, Alexander Kleytman , was among the victims . The couple were Holocaust survivors.
Police said emergency services were called around 18:45 p.m. after reports of gunfire. Videos filmed by witnesses show people in swimsuits fleeing the beach as shots rang out.
Other images show two men dressed in black firing long guns from a footbridge leading to the beach. One particularly striking sequence, broadcast on Australian television, shows a man lunging at one of the gunmen to disarm him , then pointing the weapon at him, before placing the rifle on the ground.
Chris Minns described the man, identified by relatives in the Australian media as Ahmed al Ahmed , a fruit shop owner, as a "true hero".
Chilling testimonies
Arsen Ostrovsky, a lawyer who was present at the Hanukkah ceremony with his wife and daughters, was grazed in the head by a bullet. He stated that he had left Israel for Australia two weeks earlier to work for a Jewish rights organization.
"What I saw today was pure evil, a true massacre. Bodies were strewn everywhere ," he wrote from the hospital. "I never thought this could happen here in Australia."
Lachlan Moran, 32, from Melbourne, said he was waiting for his family when he heard the gunshots: " I ran as fast as I could ," he explained. The shooting lasted for about five minutes, intermittently. "Everyone was dropping their things and running, people were crying, it was horrible."
Anti-Semitism shakes Australia
Anthony Albanese promised that this violence would lead to "a moment of national unity, where Australians, without distinction, will support their fellow citizens of the Jewish faith ." Some political opponents and the Israeli government accused him of not doing enough to prevent such a tragedy.
Australia, with a population of 28 million, is home to approximately 117,000 Jews. Antisemitic acts, including attacks, vandalism, threats, and intimidation, more than tripled in the year following Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent war in Gaza, according to the government's special envoy for combating antisemitism.
Last year, antisemitic attacks targeted Sydney and Melbourne: synagogues and cars were set on fire, businesses and homes were vandalized with graffiti, and Jews were assaulted. These two cities are home to 85% of the country's Jewish population.
In August, Albanese accused Iran of being behind two attacks and broke off diplomatic relations with Tehran.
Israel has urged the Australian government to combat crimes against Jews. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that he had warned Australian leaders of the dangers of inaction in the face of antisemitism, arguing that recognizing a Palestinian state "fans the flames of antisemitism."
An ongoing investigation
Authorities are not seeking any other suspects, Mal Lanyon said. Police have promised a thorough investigation.
Two improvised explosive devices were discovered at the scene and neutralized by experts. They were described as rudimentary, requiring a fuse to detonate rather than being triggered remotely.
Shootings remain rare in Australia
Chris Minns stated that changes to gun laws were "almost certain" after the massacre. The 50-year-old gunman owned six firearms, which were recovered during a search.
Mass shootings are extremely rare in Australia since laws were tightened after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, which left 35 people dead.
Numerous international reactions
Messages of shock and compassion poured in from around the world. King Charles III said he was "appalled and deeply saddened by this horrific anti-Semitic terrorist attack."
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was horrified.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio strongly condemned the attack, stating that "anti-Semitism has no place in this world."
