BREAKING NEWS UPDATED: 20:51 AEDT

Tragedy at Bondi: Mass Shooting at Hanukkah Celebration

Sydney, Australia December 14, 2025

Initial reports confirm a devastating attack at Bondi Beach this evening. Police confirm 10 fatalities, including a shooter, following an incident during a Jewish festival celebration.

A scene of celebration has turned into one of horror in Sydney this evening. Reports coming out of Bondi Beach confirm that gunfire erupted during a Hanukkah event, shattering the peace of the festival of lights.

According to NSW Police, ten people are confirmed dead. This death toll includes one of the alleged shooters. Law enforcement responded rapidly to reports of multiple gunshots shortly before 6:45 PM. By 8:00 PM, authorities stated that the situation was contained, with the active threat "neutralised" and two individuals currently in custody.

A Personal Note

I am writing this with a heavy heart. I heard this news while attending a Hanukkah event here on the Gold Coast. We were gathered in joy, waiting for the speeches to begin, when the alert came through. The contrast between the light we were celebrating and the darkness of this news is paralyzing. To think that families gathering to celebrate their faith in Sydney have faced such evil is incomprehensible.

The NSW Ambulance service has been working tirelessly at the scene, with six people already transported to local hospitals. Visuals circulating online show distressing scenes of attendees fleeing the beach and emergency responders treating victims on the ground.

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) co-chief executive, Alex Ryvchin, has confirmed that their director of media is among the injured. Both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns have issued statements, describing the events as "shocking" and "deeply distressing."

"Our hearts go out to the communities affected, the police, and all who have been touched by this tragedy."

This is a rapidly evolving situation. We will look to authorities for answers in the coming hours, but for now, our focus remains on the victims and a community in mourning.

A Prayer for Sydney

"Lord, we ask for Your covering over Bondi Beach tonight. In a time meant for light, we face a profound darkness. We pray for the souls lost, asking that You receive them into Your eternal peace. We pray for the injured, for the hands of the surgeons and nurses, and for the families waiting for news. Grant strength to the first responders who ran toward danger. Comfort the Jewish community across Australia, and may Your peace, which passes all understanding, guard our hearts and minds in this time of grief. Amen."