On a sun-drenched Sunday evening in Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach, what should have been a joyful gathering turned into a scene of unimaginable horror. As families and friends lit the first candle of Hanukkah under the golden hues of a summer sunset, the peaceful hum of laughter and waves crashing was shattered by the crack of gunfire. At least 12 people lay dead, including one of the attackers, with 29 others wounded in what authorities swiftly declared a terrorist incident. The attack, targeting Sydney’s Jewish community during the Chabad-organized “Chanukah by the Sea” event, has plunged the nation into grief and raised profound questions about security, antisemitism, and the fragility of peace in one of Australia’s most beloved public spaces.

The incident unfolded around 6:45 p.m. on December 14, 2025, near Archer Park, a grassy expanse just north of the Bondi Pavilion, where over 1,000 people had assembled for the annual celebration. The event, sponsored by Chabad of Bondi, was meant to embody the spirit of Hanukkah – a festival of lights, resilience, and community. Attendees included families with young children playing on the sand, tourists snapping photos of the famous Bondi Pavilion, and locals enjoying the balmy December weather. But in an instant, the joy evaporated as two men dressed in black emerged from a small silver hatchback parked near a pedestrian bridge connecting Campbell Parade to the beach.

Witnesses described the chaos with raw terror. Marcos Carvalho, a 38-year-old Bondi Junction resident, was packing up his belongings after a day at the beach when the first shots rang out. “I heard maybe 40, 50 shots,” he recounted, his voice trembling in interviews. “We all panicked and started running. Flip-flops, bags – everything left behind. We just sprinted up the hill.” Another bystander, Grace Mathew, saw people dashing past her, screaming about a mass shooting. “You think it’s a beautiful day, people having fun,” she said. “Then it’s like a nightmare.”

Video footage captured the horror: two figures on the bridge, rifles in hand, methodically firing into the crowd below. The attackers appeared coordinated, targeting the dense group near the playground and grassy knoll where the Hanukkah festivities were in full swing. People dove behind parked cars, scrambled into nearby restaurants, or fled into the surf. One clip showed a man ushering non-Jews aside before opening fire, underscoring the targeted nature of the assault. “They weren’t shooting at everyone,” a teenage witness told reporters. “It was focused on the celebration.”

The New South Wales Police Force responded with remarkable speed. Officers on routine patrol near the beach engaged the gunmen almost immediately. Bodycam footage later released showed police taking cover behind vehicles as bullets whizzed past. One officer was injured while returning fire, but the response proved decisive. One attacker was fatally shot at the scene; the other, wounded, was apprehended in critical condition. A heroic bystander, caught on camera, tackled the second gunman, wrestling the rifle away and forcing him to retreat. Premier Chris Minns praised the man as a “genuine hero” who “put his own life at risk to save countless others.”

As paramedics swarmed the area, the beach – usually alive with surfers, joggers, and picnickers – resembled a battlefield. Bodies lay scattered across the sand, some receiving frantic CPR from bystanders and first responders. Children wailed, separated from parents in the pandemonium. Surfboards were used as makeshift stretchers to carry the wounded to ambulances. “It was pandemonium,” said one eyewitness. “Blood everywhere, people screaming. I saw at least 10 on the ground.” Two police officers were among the injured, one in serious condition.

The death toll rose to 12, including Rabbi Eli Schlanger, assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi and a beloved organizer of the event. His death, confirmed by Chabad officials, struck a particularly poignant note – a man dedicated to fostering joy and unity, gunned down in the act of celebration. Other victims included families, tourists, and locals; one Israeli national was among the dead, prompting swift condemnation from Israel’s government. At least 29 were hospitalized, with injuries ranging from gunshot wounds to those sustained in the frantic escape.

What elevated this tragedy to a national and international crisis was the official declaration: a terrorist incident. Commissioner Mal Lanyon cited the targeted nature – on Hanukkah’s first night, against a Jewish gathering – and the use of long arms as key factors. “This was designed to target Sydney’s Jewish community,” Premier Minns stated. The attack came amid a surge in antisemitic incidents across Australia since the October 7, 2023, Hamas assault on Israel and the ensuing Gaza conflict. Synagogues vandalized, cars torched, and marches glorifying extremism had heightened fears, but few anticipated such brazen violence at a public beach.

A disturbing twist emerged after the scene was secured, transforming shock into deeper unease. Police, sweeping a vehicle linked to the deceased gunman on Campbell Parade, discovered several improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Bomb disposal experts neutralized the threats, but the revelation suggested a far deadlier plot. Had the shooters succeeded in detonating these, the casualty count could have escalated dramatically. “This wasn’t just a shooting; it was a coordinated act meant to maximize terror,” one official noted anonymously.

The primary suspect was identified as Naveed Akram, a 24-year-old from Bonnyrigg in Sydney’s southwest. Known to ASIO (Australian Security Intelligence Organisation) but not deemed an immediate threat, Akram had ties to Pakistan, having studied at Hamdard University in Islamabad. The second attacker remained unnamed, clinging to life in custody. Raids followed at Akram’s home, yielding two arrests – a man and woman – though their roles were unclear. Authorities probed online radicalization, potential accomplices, and links to broader networks.

The Jewish community, Sydney’s largest with roots dating to the 19th century, reeled. Bondi, a hub for its eastern suburbs enclave, felt violated. “An attack on Jews is an attack on all Australians,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared in a national address. He convened a security meeting, vowing to bolster protections. ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess maintained the national threat level at “probable,” but acknowledged the incident’s gravity.

Global outrage poured in. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decried it as “cold-blooded murder,” blaming Australian leniency toward antisemitism. President Isaac Herzog called it a “cruel attack on Jews.” Leaders from the US, UK, France, and beyond condemned the violence, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stating, “Antisemitism has no place in this world.” Even Muslim groups, like the Australian National Imams Council, denounced it as “horrific,” stressing unity against hate.

Bondi’s transformation from paradise to war zone lingered in the aftermath. The beach, cordoned off for hours, bore scars: bloodstains on the sand, abandoned belongings fluttering in the breeze. Memorials sprouted – candles, flowers, notes reading “Light Over Darkness.” The Pavilion, a Art Deco icon since 1929, stood silent, its usual bustle replaced by investigators.

This massacre, Australia’s deadliest since Port Arthur in 1996 (35 killed), exposed vulnerabilities. Gun laws, tightened post-Port Arthur, made such events rare, yet here they were – rifles in a nation where ownership requires stringent checks. Questions swirled: How did the attackers obtain weapons? Was online extremism to blame? And with antisemitism rising – arson at synagogues, vandalism – why weren’t safeguards stronger?

For survivors, the nightmare endures. One woman, shielding her child, whispered, “We thought we were safe here.” As Hanukkah candles flickered in vigils nationwide, Australia grappled with healing. The chilling twist of the IEDs served as a stark reminder: the gunfire may have stopped, but the shadows of hate linger, demanding vigilance to prevent the next nightmare.