Gunmen Target Jewish Fest, Kill Dozens in Sydney

Horror at Bondi Chanukah Celebration
One Gunman is a Pakistani?

Sydney: In an act of targeted hatred that has stunned Australia and the world, Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach became the scene of a deadly terrorist attack today, as two gunmen opened fire on a large crowd gathered for the annual “Chanukah by the Sea” event celebrating the first night of Hanukkah.

Organised by the local Chabad-Lubavitch community, the festive gathering near Archer Park and the Bondi Pavilion drew over a thousand people, including families and children, for menorah lightings, music, and communal joy on a warm summer evening. The violence erupted around 6:45 p.m. local time, with the assailants—positioned on an elevated footbridge overlooking the area—firing dozens of shots into the crowd, sparking chaos as attendees fled toward the ocean or sought cover.

Horrific! Twelve people confirmed dead and several injured in an attack on a Jewish community event for #Hanukkah at #BondiBeach in Sydney, Australia. 😢

This is what #Intifada means: jihadist terror and antisemitism, continuesly fueled by mainstream media, NGOs, and… pic.twitter.com/yfkxnLbyKl

— Sam van Rooy MP (@SamvanRooy1) December 14, 2025

Authorities have confirmed at least 11 civilians killed, with total deaths reaching 12 when including one gunman fatally shot by police, and approximately 29 injured, among them two officers; figures remain subject to final verification as the investigation progresses.

Police swiftly neutralised the threat, killing one perpetrator at the scene and apprehending the second in critical condition, while bomb squads safely disarmed improvised explosive devices found in a nearby vehicle, indicating a potentially broader plot. One suspect has been identified as 24-year-old Naveed Akram, previously known to security agencies but not considered an imminent risk, amid a documented rise in antisemitic incidents in Australia since late 2023 linked to global tensions.

Terror attack in Australia.

At least 10 people were killed after two terrorists opened fire at Sydney’s Bondi Beach during Hanukkah, a Jewish religious event.

One of the terrorists has been identified as Naveed Akram Pakistani Muslim.

Pakistan is the mothership of terrorism. pic.twitter.com/S24mEBoKxq

— Faraz Pervaiz (@FarazPervaiz3) December 14, 2025

Amid the terror, acts of bravery emerged, including a bystander—widely reported as Ahmed al-Ahmed, a local Muslim resident—who tackled and disarmed one gunman, an intervention praised by officials for likely saving additional lives. The attack has been unequivocally classified as a terrorist incident motivated by antisemitism, with ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess noting the national threat level holds at “probable” despite the perpetrators including individuals on watch lists. This marks Australia’s deadliest mass shooting in nearly three decades, evoking memories of the 1996 Port Arthur massacre that transformed gun laws nationwide.

This man is a true hero.

Ahmed El Ahmad, a 43-year-old father of two and a fruit shop owner in Sutherland, disarmed one of the two terrorists during the #BondiBeach terror attack in #Sydney, #Australia. He confronted the attacker with his bare hands.

He was severely injured,… pic.twitter.com/G9GmW6ZF9z

— Babak Taghvaee – The Crisis Watch (@BabakTaghvaee1) December 14, 2025

Among the victims was Rabbi Eli Schlanger, a 40-year-old British-born Chabad emissary and father of five young children, including a newborn son born just months earlier, whose life’s work embodied a profound legacy of light amid darkness. Raised in north London’s Temple Fortune community with deep roots in Jewish tradition, Schlanger pursued advanced studies at yeshivas in France and New York, earning rabbinic ordination before relocating to Sydney upon marrying Chayala, daughter of Chabad of Bondi’s director, Rabbi Yehoram Ulman. For over 18 years, he served as assistant rabbi, channelling boundless energy and optimism into outreach that bridged generations and backgrounds, particularly supporting Russian-speaking Jewish immigrants through education, chaplaincy, and warm communal gatherings that turned distant arrivals into a vibrant family network.

Beyond the synagogue, Schlanger spearheaded public celebrations of faith, viewing rising threats not as reasons to retreat but as imperatives to shine brighter—his efforts saw event attendance double in defiance of intimidation, transforming beachside promenades into symbols of resilience with towering menorahs and shared joy. Colleagues and tributes recall his vivacious spirit, always ready with a mitzvah or word of encouragement, whether distributing tefillin on streets, comforting mourners, or advocating boldly; weeks before his death, he hosted memorials for other fallen Chabad leaders and penned appeals to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for stronger action against hate, insisting that fear must yield to amplified Jewish pride. In the tragedy’s wake, his message endures as a rallying cry: family and community urge spreading more light through kindness, inspiring a surge of volunteerism at Chabad centres worldwide, heightened security dialogues, and renewed commitments to interfaith unity, ensuring his legacy as a “lamplighter” continues to illuminate paths through even the deepest shadows.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the assault as an “act of evil antisemitism and terrorism” assaulting national values, vowing to resolve it, while New South Wales Premier Chris Minns affirmed its deliberate targeting of Jews.

Global outrage has been swift and broad: King Charles III expressed being “appalled and saddened”; Israeli President Isaac Herzog decried a “cruel attack”; U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered solidarity; Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly denounced the “ghastly terrorist attack” on Hanukkah celebrants, extending India’s heartfelt condolences and reaffirming zero tolerance for terrorism; UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the “heinous” violence against families; and Iran’s Foreign Ministry joined in rebuking civilian targeting. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the bystander’s heroism but critiqued Australian policies as potentially emboldening extremists through perceived weakness on related geopolitical issues.

Baseless online conspiracies have surfaced but remain unsubstantiated amid polarised discourse. As probes advance with no further threats reported, the nation and Jewish communities grapple with grief, fostering calls for vigilance, tolerance, and unbreakable cohesion against hate’s enduring reach.

– global bihari bureau