Hanukkah Horror: Father-Son Duo Unleash Terror on Sydney Beach, 16 Dead in Targeted Attack
A festive Hanukkah celebration on Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach was shattered by gunfire Sunday evening, leaving at least 16 people dead, including one of the alleged attackers, and 40 others wounded in what authorities are investigating as a terrorist attack targeting the Jewish community. The massacre, occurring during the “Chanukah By The Sea” event just after 6:45 p.m. local time, was carried out by a 50-year-old man and his 24-year-old son, according to New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon. The father was killed during the incident, while the son was hospitalized in critical but stable condition. Police confirmed the attack deliberately “targeted” the Jewish community, marking the deadliest assault against Jews globally since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks.
Authorities revealed the father was a licensed gun owner for a decade, legally possessing six registered firearms—all of which have been recovered. Commissioner Lanyon stated the man met the eligibility for a recreational hunting license and had no significant prior incidents known to police. However, a chilling dimension emerged as investigators executed search warrants at two properties linked to the duo. In one location, police discovered and defused two active but “rudimentary” improvised explosive devices (IEDs), with evidence of more found in a vehicle near the beach scene. The victims ranged in age from 10 to 87 years old, and at least 40 people, including two police officers, remained hospitalized following the violence.
The attack has drawn intense international condemnation and spotlighted rising antisemitic tensions. Israeli President Isaac Herzog, addressing the tragedy from Jerusalem, called on the Australian government to “seek action and fight against the enormous wave of antisemitism.” The horrific scene, where a bystander was seen on video attempting to disarm a gunman, has plunged Australia’s Jewish community into mourning and heightened alarm, shaking a nation with historically strict gun controls and raising urgent questions about radicalization and security at public gatherings.
