What we know so far about Hanukkah attack
On the first day of Hanukkah, 12 people, including one with a gun, died after a shooting attack targeting the Jewish community at Australia’s Bondi Beach.
Another 29 people were hospitalized and two police officers were shot during what authorities declared a terrorist attack, according to police. The surviving armed attacker is in critical condition.
More than 1,000 people were attending the beachside event to celebrate Hanukkah.
New South Wales premier Chris Minns said: “Tonight our hearts bleed for the Jewish community in Australia.
“I can only imagine the pain they felt when they saw their loved ones murdered while celebrating this ancient holiday.”
Mass shootings are very rare in Australia and the attack in Bondi is the country’s deadliest since the Port Arthur massacre in 1996, when 35 people were killed by a single gunman.
Here’s what we know so far:
Where is Bondi Beach?
Bondi Beach is located in the state of New South Wales on the east coast of Australia, east of Sydney.
It is one of Australia’s most popular beaches, attracting millions of visitors every year. The region is an important attraction for tourists.
What happened at Bondi Beach?
New South Wales (NSW) police responded to reports of gunfire at around 18:47 local time (07:47 GMT) with video showing hundreds of people fleeing the coastline.
In its initial statement published on X, NSW Police urged people at the scene to take shelter and other members of the public to stay away from the area.
Around the same time, local media began reporting on people “on the ground” around Campbell Parade.
In a video confirmed by the BBC, two gunmen can be seen opening fire from a small bridge that crosses the Campbell Parade car park towards the beach.
An event to mark the first day of the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah was taking place at Bondi Beach, very close to the bridge where the men opened fire. More than 1,000 people attended the meeting.
PM Minns also paid tribute to a man filmed wrestling with the gun of one of his attackers.
“This man is a true hero, and I have no doubt that there are many people alive tonight because of his courage,” Minns said at a news conference.
In the video, the man is seen sneaking up on the attacker and then hugging him like a bear.
The man, now unarmed, then retreats towards the bridge, where the other attacker is still firing.
As the video continues, a policeman comes up behind the attackers and opens fire on them, while another man appears to be injured and flees the scene.
A separate video, also confirmed, shows multiple police officers on the same bridge. Someone appears to be performing CPR on a motionless man while someone shouts “he’s dead, he’s dead.”
How many people died and were injured?
Getty ImagesDetails about who was killed and injured are scarce, other than police confirming the death of a gunman.
Police confirmed the deaths of 12 people, including one of the gunmen. It was stated that the condition of the other armed attacker was critical.
Authorities said 29 more people were hospitalized and two police officers were also shot during the incident.
Eyewitness Barry was attending a Hanukkah event in Bondi with his children when he heard gunshots.
He told the BBC he saw two men on the bridge shooting into the crowd.
He said there were bodies on the ground. She added that she and her children managed to escape in a car with a friend.
What’s the latest situation?
Getty ImagesPolice declared Sunday’s attack a terrorist attack.
“An exclusion zone has been established around the scene as police used special equipment to control improvised explosive devices (IEDs) found in a car linked to the dead gunman, and police are still appealing to the public to avoid the area.”
“No stone will be left unturned in the investigation,” New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon told a news conference.
He said police would not be releasing any information about the gunmen at this time and called for calm while police carried out their duties, adding that this was “not the time for revenge.”
Mr Lanyon also said police were “aware” of one of the suspected suspects but had “very, very little information” about him.
Police said they could not confirm whether there was a third attacker or whether anyone else was involved in the attack, but investigations are ongoing.
Australia’s espionage chief Mike Burgess later said it was too early to give any details about whether the men were on the security services’ radar, adding: “We knew one of these men but we didn’t know him. [from] “It’s an immediate threat perspective so obviously we need to look at what is happening.”
In a televised speech, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the attack on Bondi Beach as “an evil act of anti-Semitism, terrorism that strikes at the heart of our nation”.
“Today we saw Australians rushing into danger to help others. These Australians are heroes and their bravery saved lives,” he added.
What is Hannukah?
Hanukkah, or Hanukkah in Hebrew, is the Jewish festival of lights.
The word Hanukkah means ‘offering’ and celebrates one of the greatest miracles in Jewish history.
The dates of Hanukkah vary each year but always fall in November or December and last for eight days.
At the time of the shooting, an event was being held on Bondi Beach for the first day of the celebration.
A digital brochure about the event, Chanukah by the Sea 2025shows that the demonstration is planned to be held near the beach’s children’s playground from 17:00 local time (06:00 GMT) on Sunday.
Organized by Chabad, the Jewish center in Bondi, the event will feature live entertainment and activities “appropriate for all ages”. It was stated that approximately 1000 people attended the rally.
