Mass Shooting at Bondi Beach During Hanukkah Celebration
Sydney, Australia – December 15, 2025: A terror attack at Bondi Beach has shaken Australia and raised serious questions about police preparedness. Over 1,000 people had gathered to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah when a father-and-son duo allegedly opened fire on the crowd using rifles, with an improvised explosive device reportedly prepared in their vehicle.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the attack as a targeted assault on Jewish Australians. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns echoed this sentiment, stating that the assailants deliberately targeted Sydney’s Jewish community.
Police Response and Security Concerns
Eyewitness accounts indicate that the shooters fired for more than five minutes, taking aim while civilians intervened before police could respond. A notable act of bravery came from 43-year-old Ahmed al Ahmed, who wrestled a gun from one of the attackers despite being shot twice.
Oded Ailam, a former Israeli intelligence officer, questioned the police response:
“The first initial reaction wasn’t even by police, it was by civilians, which raised a lot of questions about the role of police.”
New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon defended the officers, asserting that police had responded promptly and were closely engaged with the Jewish community.
Assailants and Motive
Australian authorities identified the suspects as a father and son. The son is Australian-born, while the father’s nationality has not been confirmed. Authorities say they possessed six legally purchased firearms and had prepared an improvised explosive device.
Prime Minister Albanese revealed that the younger suspect had been investigated by Australia’s primary intelligence agency in 2019 over suspected ties to an ISIS cell in Sydney, but was deemed no security threat at that time.
Rising Antisemitism in Australia
The attack comes amid a documented rise in antisemitic incidents following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) reports that antisemitic incidents have spiked nearly fivefold compared to pre-October 2023 levels.
Previous attacks include arson at Melbourne synagogues and at a kosher food provider in Sydney, which were linked by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. In response, Prime Minister Albanese expelled Iran’s ambassador and three diplomats earlier this year.
Oren Segal of the Anti-Defamation League noted:
“This attack is not only the latest in a disturbing series of antisemitic incidents in Australia but also around the globe, and these incidents are becoming increasingly violent.”
Questions About Intelligence and Future Security
The incident has sparked debate about whether Australian intelligence and law enforcement agencies could have prevented the attack, particularly given previous warnings and the ongoing threat to the Jewish community. Authorities emphasize public safety as their immediate priority, while experts continue to assess potential international links and terrorist motives.
Leave a Reply