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Police told international media there were “multiple fatalities,” while a local government official said the death toll was expected to rise.
By Shula Rosen
At least 11 people were killed and dozens wounded when gunmen opened fire during a Chanukah celebration Sunday evening at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, turning a family-focused Jewish community event into a mass-casualty terror attack and prompting a major police operation across the area.
The shooting erupted near Bondi Park at the northern end of the beach as thousands of people gathered for the Chabad-organized event.
Rabbi Eli Schlanger, a Chabad emissary based in Sydney, was named as one of those killed in the mass shooting, a spokesperson for the Chabad-Lubavitch movement said.
Authorities said the gunfire began during a public address, sending attendees—including many children—fleeing for cover as shots rang out from multiple directions, including a nearby pedestrian bridge.
Emergency services transported 13 victims to the hospital, according to New South Wales ambulance officials, with several reported in critical condition.
Police told international media there were “multiple fatalities,” while a local government official said the death toll was expected to rise. The identities of the victims had not been released by early afternoon.
Investigators said multiple attackers were involved. Two suspects were taken into custody, and authorities reported that additional shooters were neutralized at the scene.
Video circulating from the area appeared to show an unarmed bystander confronting one of the gunmen from behind a vehicle, wresting away his weapon and holding him at gunpoint until police intervened. Separate footage showed another attacker firing toward crowds from an elevated walkway.
Witnesses described scenes of panic, with injured people lying on the ground and civilians attempting to help one another as police and medics rushed in. Members of the Jewish community said fear had been building for months amid rising antisemitism and that the attack confirmed longstanding concerns about security at public events.
Australian officials urged residents and visitors to remain indoors and follow police instructions as the investigation continued. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government was closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with state authorities.
Israeli leaders and Jewish organizations worldwide condemned the attack and expressed solidarity with the victims.
President Isaac Herzog said shortly after the shooting: “At these very moments, our sisters and brothers in Sydney, Australia, have been attacked by vile terrorists in a very cruel attack on Jews who went to light the first candle of Chanukah on Bondi Beach. Our hearts go out to them. The heart of the entire nation of Israel misses a beat at this very moment, as we pray for the recovery of the wounded. We pray for them, and we pray for those who lost their lives. We send our warmest strength from Jerusalem. We repeat our alerts time and again to the Australian government to seek action and fight against the enormous wave of antisemitism which is plaguing Australian society.”
In response to the attack, organizers canceled a planned Chanukah celebration in Melbourne, citing caution as authorities continued to assess the threat environment.
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