At least 11 people have been killed and dozens more wounded after two gunmen opened fire at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday during a gathering marking the Jewish festival of Hanukkah.
New South Wales police confirmed that 29 injured people were transported to hospitals across the city following the attack, which unfolded at one of Australia’s most popular tourist destinations. One of the alleged attackers was shot dead, while the second suspect was taken to hospital in a critical condition.
Police have declared the shooting a terrorist incident, saying suspected improvised explosive devices were discovered inside a vehicle linked to the deceased suspect near the beach.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese strongly condemned the attack, describing it as a targeted act of antisemitic terrorism. “This is a targeted attack on Jewish Australians on the first day of Hanukkah a day that should be about joy and faith,” Albanese said in a televised address. “An attack on Jewish Australians is an attack on every Australian.”
The shooting occurred during the annual “Hanukkah by the Sea” event held on Sunday afternoon. Israeli President Isaac Herzog also condemned the violence, calling it a “cruel attack on Jews” and urging Australian authorities to intensify efforts to combat antisemitism.
Panic erupted as crowds fled the beachfront, which is typically packed with swimmers, surfers and tourists, particularly on weekends. Emergency services said they received the first reports of shots fired at 6:47pm local time.
Witnesses described scenes of chaos and horror. A 25-year-old student visiting from Chile, Camilo Diaz, said the gunfire was relentless. “It felt like 10 minutes of just bang, bang, bang. It sounded like a powerful weapon,” he said.
Another witness told local media he saw at least six people lying dead or wounded on the sand. Items abandoned in the rush to escape including a child’s stroller were scattered across a grassy hill overlooking the beach.
Images broadcast by public broadcaster ABC showed paramedics treating multiple victims near the shoreline, while a weapon believed to be a pump-action shotgun was seen lying near a tree.
Bondi Beach’s Waverley Council said it was “deeply saddened” by the attack. “Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this horrendous act, which occurred during Chanukah celebrations,” a council spokesperson said.
Investigations into the attack are continuing as authorities work to establish the full circumstances and motive behind the violence.