'Act of evil antisemitism': Inside Australia's second deadliest terror attack

What is known about the terrorist attack

The shooting began at Bondi Beach, where over 1,000 people had gathered for a pre-announced Hanukkah event on the beach. Two armed men began firing at the crowd with rifles and shotguns. At the time, about 200 people were on the lawn near a pedestrian bridge, from where the attackers opened fire.

Security measures at the event were reportedly minimal, consisting only of a metal fence, gates, and bag checks by security personnel. These measures proved insufficient.

As of 10:00 PM Kyiv time on December 14, at least 16 people have been killed and 29 injured in the attack. According to Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at least one of the dead is an Israeli citizen. A child is also among those killed.

Witnesses reported hearing between 20 and 50 gunshots. Two men were confirmed as the attackers, including 24-year-old Naveed Akram, a Pakistani Muslim. Authorities are investigating the possibility of a third shooter, though police have not confirmed this. A thorough investigation is ongoing.

During the shooting, 43-year-old fruit shop owner Ahmed al-Ahmed reportedly acted heroically. He attacked one of the shooters from behind and, despite sustaining two arm injuries, managed to disarm the assailant. The confrontation was captured on video.

Police at the scene shot and killed one attacker and arrested the second, who is now hospitalized in critical condition. Authorities discovered a homemade explosive device in a nearby parked vehicle. They also seized the attackers’ weapons, including sniper rifles and hunting shotguns.

The Bondi Beach shooting is considered the deadliest mass shooting in Australia since the Port Arthur massacre in April 1996. It is also regarded as the most destructive antisemitic attack in the country's history.

Reaction to the terrorist attack

New South Wales Police Force Commissioner Mal Lanyon declared the incident a terrorist act and granted police special powers to investigate. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said the attack was "designed to target Sydney's Jewish community."

"This attack was designed to target Sydney’s Jewish community on the first day of Hanukkah. What should have been a night of peace and joy celebrated in that community with families and supporters has been shattered by this horrifying, evil attack," Minns said.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also condemned the attack, calling it an "act of evil antisemitism," adding that the evil committed at Bondi Beach that day surpassed any possible nightmare.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer wrote that Hanukkah "should be a time of celebration and joy. The news that the Bondi Beach attack was an antisemitic terrorist attack against Jewish families at a Hanukkah event is sickening."

French President Emmanuel Macron expressed France's condolences to the victims, the injured, and their families.

"France extends its thoughts to the victims, the injured, and their loved ones. We share the pain of the Australian people and will continue to fight relentlessly against antisemitic hatred, which hurts us all, wherever it strikes," Macron wrote.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joined other world leaders in expressing condolences. He said that terror and hatred, demonstrated in Sydney, "must never prevail."

"Ukraine stands in solidarity with Australia in the face of the brutal terrorist attack at Bondi Beach, Sydney, which targeted the Jewish community at the start of Hanukkah. We express condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed and wish a swift and full recovery to all those who were wounded. Terror and hatred must never prevail — they must be defeated everywhere and every time," Zelenskyy wrote.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned the attack and stated that antisemitism "has no place in this world."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the Bondi Beach shooting a "cold-blooded killing." He added that he had warned Albanese about rising antisemitism in Australia.

Muslim groups in Australia also condemned the attack. The Australian National Imams Council, the New South Wales Imams Council, and other Muslim community representatives issued a joint statement.

"These acts of violence and crimes have no place in our society. Those responsible must be held fully accountable and face the full force of the law... Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers are with the victims, their families, and all those who witnessed or were affected by this deeply traumatic attack," the statement said.

RBC-Ukraine previously reported on the Sydney attack. On December 14, a shooting occurred during Hanukkah celebrations at Bondi Beach. Initial reports indicated at least ten deaths. Later, the toll rose to 12, including the attacker killed by police.