SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: Mourners gather at the Bondi Pavilion as people pay tribute to the victims of a mass shooting at Bondi Beach yesterday, on 15 December 15 2025. Police say at least 16 people, including one suspected gunman, were killed and more than 40 others injured when two attackers opened fire near a Hanukkah celebration at the world-famous Bondi Beach, in what authorities have declared a terrorist incident. (Photo by Izhar Khan/Getty Images)

Mass Shooting at Hanukkah Festival Shocks Australia, Prompts Calls for Reforms

By Claire Meyer

15 December 2025

Two men—a father and son—opened fire at a family-centric Hanukkah celebration at the popular Bondi Beach in Sydney on Sunday, killing 15 people in a rare mass shooting in Australia. Police fatally shot one of the gunmen, and the other is in critical condition, according to authorities.

The attack is the deadliest mass shooting in Australia since 1996. Police declared the incident a terror attack and are continuing to investigate.

What We Know

At around 6:40 p.m. local time on Sunday, 14 December, police received reports that shots were fired at a park on Bondi Beach. Footage shows two gunmen firing from a small footbridge near a parking lot on the northern end of the beach, the BBC reported. They were shooting toward an event celebrating Hanukkah, which had hundreds of attendees. Video by onlookers showed people in bathing suits running from the water in response to the shots. Others reported shielding their children from gunfire.

A bystander, 43-year-old Ahmed al Ahmed, tackled and disarmed one of the gunmen, turning his gun back on the attacker before setting the firearm on the ground. The other gunman shot Ahmed twice, but he is in stable condition.

The attack lasted for about 7 minutes.

Police have not released the alleged gunmen’s names. Officials said one gunman was known to security services, but authorities had no indication of a planned attack.

The New South Wales Police Force is leading a Joint Counter Terrorism Team investigation into the shooting, coordinating with security intelligence officials, federal police, and the New South Wales Crime Commission. Officers found three rudimentary improvised explosive devices at the scene—both were rendered safe by bomb disposal experts, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

The victims of the attack include a 10-year-old girl, a local rabbi, and a Holocaust survivor. At least 40 people, including two police officers, are being treated in area hospitals.

A Trend of Anti-Semitism

Australia saw one of the biggest increases in anti-Semitic attacks in 2025, according to an annual report from Tel Aviv University. There were 1,713 recorded anti-Semitic incidents in Australia 2024, compared to 1,200 in 2023. Incidents in the past year included an arson attack that caused extensive damage at a Melbourne synagogue, as well as a variety of graffiti and vandalism incidents.

Approximately 117,000 Jews live in Australia, which has a population of 28 million. More than three-quarters of the nation’s Jewish population lives in Sydney and Melbourne. Local Jewish groups have decried a lack of support from authorities in response to anti-Semitic incidents, according to the AP.

Jewish leaders and survivors from the shooting “expressed fear and fury as they questioned why the men hadn’t been detected before they opened fire,” the AP said.

What Comes Next

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese proposed new gun restrictions on Monday, including limiting the number of guns a licensed owner can obtain and reviewing existing licenses over time, the AP reported.

The older gunman who was shot dead had six firearms at the property where he had been staying, raising questions about how he was able to acquire them all.

Australia already has strict gun laws, including a landmark national firearms agreement that virtually banned rapid-fire rifles after a mass shooting in Tasmania in 1996 that killed 35 people. After this weekend’s shooting, that agreement will likely be renegotiated and strengthened.

Government leaders also proposed the “additional use of criminal intelligence” to determine who is eligible for a gun license.

Meanwhile, major cities worldwide—including Berlin, New York, Warsaw, and London—have beefed up security for their own Hanukkah events, Reuters reported.

"Due to the geopolitical situation and the attack in Sydney, we are strengthening preventive measures around diplomatic missions and places of worship," a press officer for Poland's National Police Headquarters told Reuters.

In the UK, police forces are increasing their visibility around Jewish events and celebrations, the BBC reported.