Sydney Beach Shooting in Australia: "Targeted Attack on Jewish Community"

Shooting Spree at Famous Tourist Spot Bondi Beach
At Least 9 Dead and Many Injured

At Bondi Beach, a famous tourist destination in eastern Sydney, Australia, multiple armed suspects opened fire, resulting in at least nine deaths and numerous casualties. Some have raised claims that the incident targeted Jewish people, as a Jewish holiday event was taking place near the scene at the time.

According to major foreign media outlets such as AFP and local sources like the Sydney Morning Herald, at around 6:40 p.m. on December 14, two armed suspects fired weapons for about ten minutes near Campbell Parade in the heart of Bondi Beach. Australian police apprehended the suspects at the scene and they are currently in custody. Local authorities reported that at least nine people were killed and many others injured in the shooting. The number of victims is expected to rise as those being treated at the scene are included. Multiple witnesses stated that they heard at least 50 gunshots in the beach area.

Ten people were killed in a shooting at Bondi Beach in eastern Sydney, Australia. Local medical personnel are transporting the victims to the hospital. Photo by AP Yonhap News

A Hanukkah event was being held near the site of the shooting. For this reason, some have argued that the shooting was aimed at Jewish people. Robert Gregory, CEO of the Australia Jewish Association, claimed, "This shooting targeted Hanukkah" and "has caused great pain to the Jewish community."

Gideon Sa'ar, Israel's Minister of Foreign Affairs, also stated on X (formerly Twitter), "This is the result of the anti-Semitic frenzy and incitement that has been rampant on Australian streets over the past two years." However, Australian authorities have not released details about whether the shooting was a targeted attack or any other specifics.