At least 16 people have been killed in a terrorist attack on a Jewish celebration on a beach in Sydney, Australia.
At least 16 people have been killed and 40 injured in a shooting on Bondi Beach, east of Sydney, Australia. Australian police have confirmed that two people have been neutralized following the attack on attendees celebrating the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns has issued the first official report, adding that one of the attackers has died in addition to the 12 victims.
"This attack was directed at the Jewish community in Sydney on the first day of Hanukkah. What should have been a night of peace and joy celebrated in that community by families and supporters has been cut short by this horrific and evil attack,“ Minns added, noting that the shooting has been classified as a ”terrorist act."
Police sources have reported that the terrorists also threw homemade bombs at those attending the party, which fortunately did not detonate.
In a statement, New South Wales police reported that the second suspected shooter is in critical condition and a number of suspicious packages located in the vicinity have been examined by specialized officers and an exclusion zone has been established.
Commissioner Mal Lanyon confirmed that 40 people were injured, including two police officers. He said those taken to several Sydney hospitals were in “serious or critical” condition.
The shooting occurred around 6:47 p.m. (9:47 a.m. Spanish peninsular time) near the Bondi Pavilion during a Hanukkah celebration attended by more than 1,000 people, according to Lanyon.
“I have also authorized special powers under sections five and six to ensure that if there is a third offender—and we are currently investigating that—we will ensure that we prevent any further activity. Section six allows us to investigate today's incident,” he said.
Testimonies of horror
“I saw at least ten people on the ground and blood everywhere,” a 30-year-old neighbor who witnessed the shooting told the Sydney Morning Herald. Videos circulating on social media such as X show people on the beach and in the nearby park scattering as multiple gunshots and police sirens were heard.
In one of the videos, a man wearing a black shirt is seen firing a large-caliber weapon before being knocked down by another man in a white T-shirt who wrestled the gun away from him. Another video shows two men pinned to the ground by uniformed police officers on a small pedestrian bridge.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese issued an initial statement expressing his regret at the “shocking and distressing scenes” coming out of Bondi. "Police and emergency services are working on the ground to save lives. My condolences are with every person affected. We are working with New South Wales Police and will provide further updates as more information is confirmed," said Albanese, who has convened the National Security Council.
The beach, they note, was partly the scene of a celebration of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, which began on Sunday. The shooting was “an evil act of anti-Semitism and terrorism that has struck at the heart of our nation,” Prime Minister Albanese emphasized.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog has denounced it as a “vile terrorist attack against Jews who were lighting the first Hanukkah candles on Bondi Beach.” "Our hearts are with them. The heart of the entire nation of Israel is beating strongly at this very moment, as we pray for the recovery of the wounded, pray for them, and pray for those who lost their lives,“ he said in an official statement. ”We reiterate our warning again and again to the Australian government to act and fight against the enormous wave of anti-Semitism that is ravaging Australian society," Herzog concluded.
Reactions to the attack
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was one of the first leaders to react: “Deeply distressing news from Australia. The UK sends our thoughts and condolences to all those affected by the terrible attack at Bondi Beach. I am being kept informed of developments.”
For his part, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was “horrified” and condemned “the heinous and deadly attack perpetrated today against Jewish families gathered in Sydney to celebrate Hanukkah.”
“Europe stands with Australia and Jewish communities around the world. We are united against violence, anti-Semitism, and hatred,” wrote European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in her condolences.
“France expresses its solidarity with the victims, the wounded, and their loved ones. We share the pain of the Australian people and will continue to fight tirelessly against anti-Semitic hatred, which hurts us all, wherever it strikes,” said French President Emmanuel Macron in X.
The Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain (FCJE) condemns the anti-Semitic massacre in Australia
In a statement, the FCJE, the only institution that officially represents Spanish Jews, strongly condemns the atrocious anti-Semitic attack perpetrated on Bondi Beach, one of the best known beaches in Sydney, Australia, when some 2,000 people gathered to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.
The FCJE expresses its deepest solidarity with the families of the victims, the Jewish community in Australia, and the entire Australian population.
Australia has been one of the countries that has suffered the most violent anti-Semitic attacks in the last two years in a particularly worrying context, in which certain official positions have created an environment of greater hostility towards Jews.
The Spanish Jewish community once again urges the authorities to take full responsibility without ambiguity and to act decisively to prevent massacres such as those at Bondi Beach or Manchester during Yom Kippur from happening again anywhere else.
May the memories of the victims be blessed.