❓WHAT HAPPENED: Two gunmen attacked a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, killing at least 11 people and wounding 29 others in what Australian authorities have labeled an antisemitic terrorist attack.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Two gunmen—one killed by police and the other critically injured and in custody—targeted the Jewish community. One gunman is believed to be Naveed Akram, a Pakistani muslim migrant. Victims included Rabbi Eli Schlanger and an Israeli citizen, while bystander Ahmed al Ahmed disarmed one attacker.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The attack occurred on Saturday evening, December 14, 2025, at Bondi Beach, Sydney, during the “Chanukah by the Sea” event.
💬KEY QUOTE: “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. An act of evil, antisemitism, terrorism that has struck the heart of our nation,” said Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
🎯IMPACT: The attack, the deadliest in nearly three decades in Australia, has sparked worldwide condemnation and calls for increased security and action against rising antisemitism.
A Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, turned tragic on Sunday evening when two gunmen opened fire, killing at least 11 people and wounding 29 others. The attack, described as an antisemitic act of terrorism, targeted the Jewish “Chanukah by the Sea” event, which marked the start of the eight-day festival. Among the dead was the famed Rabbi Eli Schlanger, an organizer of the event, as well as an Israeli citizen.
One of the attackers was killed by police, while the other was critically injured and taken into custody. Authorities confirmed that one of the suspects was known to security services, but stated there was no specific threat ahead of the incident.
One of the alleged gunmen has been identified as Naveed Akram. A driver’s licence found at the scene listed an address in Bonnyrigg, Sydney’s southwest, which police raided on Sunday night. Reports indicate that the 24-year-old, a recently laid-off bricklayer originally from Lahore, Pakistan, was wearing a Pakistan cricket shirt in his driver’s license photo. He was shot dead by police.
Police also discovered improvised explosive devices in one suspect’s vehicle. The violence unfolded as thousands were enjoying a summer day at Bondi Beach, with video footage showing chaos as beachgoers fled the scene.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns confirmed the attack was deliberately aimed at Sydney’s Jewish community, calling it an act of “pure evil.” A bystander, identified as Ahmed al Ahmed, tackled and disarmed one of the attackers, an act Minns described as heroic.
Witnesses recounted scenes of horror, with bodies strewn across the area and panicked crowds seeking shelter. Among those injured was Arsen Ostrovsky, a lawyer grazed by a bullet, who described the event as a “bloodbath” reminiscent of previous acts of terrorism. Mr. Ostrovsky has previously written for publications edited by The National Pulse’s Raheem Kassam.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the attack, stating, “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. An act of evil, antisemitism, terrorism that has struck the heart of our nation.”
International leaders, including King Charles III, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, expressed their shock and solidarity with the Jewish community.
Australia has seen a surge in antisemitic incidents in recent years, with attacks tripling in 2023 following the escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict. The Jewish community, concentrated in Sydney and Melbourne, has faced vandalism, threats, and violence, prompting calls for stronger action against antisemitism.
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