Terror attack on Bondi Beach Sydney perpetrators meticulously planned attack +++ Australia announces arms buyback

dpa

22.12.2025 - 06:05

Many families gather on a popular beach in Sydney at the start of the Jewish Hanukkah festival. But the celebration turns into a nightmare: apparently anti-Semitic men open fire, killing and injuring many. Updates on the terrorist act here in the ticker.

DPA

The most important facts at a glance

  • Shots were fired at Bondi Beach in Sydney during a Hanukkah celebration on Sunday (December 14): The Jewish community was apparently the target of the two perpetrators.
  • They shot and killed 15 people.
  • Investigators have identified the two attackers as father and son.
  • The 50-year-old father was shot dead by emergency services at the scene.
  • The 24-year-old son was caught and taken to hospital with serious injuries.
  • Several dozen injured people were still being treated in hospital.
  • Courageous act in the video: A shooter was overpowered by a passer-by.
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  • 6.53 a.m.

    Perpetrator transferred from hospital to prison

    The perpetrator accused of the terrorist attack in Sydney has been transferred from hospital to prison. The 24-year-old has been transferred to a correctional facility in Sydney's east, police announced. The complex is home to Long Bay Hospital, a high-security wing for medical and psychiatric cases.

  • Monday, December 22, 2025, 5:58 a.m.

    Investigators: Sydney perpetrators planned attack meticulously

    According to investigators, the two perpetrators of the terrorist attack on a Jewish festival in Sydney meticulously planned the crime over a period of months. The father and his son had practiced with their weapons in a rural region of Australia. This is according to police court documents released for publication and reported by local media. The two had killed 15 people during a Jewish festival on Sunday a week ago. The father was shot dead by the police and the son was taken to hospital with serious gunshot wounds.

    Police found a video from October on the son's cell phone showing the two perpetrators in black T-shirts sitting in front of a picture of a flag of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist militia, with four long guns and ammunition next to them. According to the police, the son can be seen reciting from the Koran in Arabic. Afterwards, both men are said to have spoken in English about their motive for the planned attack on the famous Bondi Beach and condemned the actions of "Zionists", among other things.

    When they arrived at the scene on December 14, the father and son threw four homemade explosive devices towards the crowd. However, the explosive devices did not detonate. Another homemade explosive device was found in the car the perpetrators had used to drive from Campsie, where they had rented a house, to Bondi Beach.

    City staff clean up floral tributes for the victims of the terror attack at Bondi Beach on Monday.
    City staff clean up floral tributes for the victims of the terror attack at Bondi Beach on Monday.
    Picture: Keystone/EPA/Dean Lewins
  • 3.16am

    Australia announces gun buyback after attack

    The Australian government wants to drastically reduce the number of firearms in the country following the devastating terrorist attack on a Jewish festival in Sydney. To this end, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a national buy-back program for firearms. The country last introduced a similar program in 1996 following a shooting rampage in the city of Port Arthur on the island of Tasmania that left 35 people dead. The government of the Social Democrat Albanese now wants to tighten up the already significantly stricter gun laws. "The terrible events in Bondi show that we need to get more guns off our streets," said Albanese at a press conference. There are four million firearms in Australia - more than in 1996, when the strict gun laws came into force.

    "We know that one of these terrorists had a gun permit and six firearms, even though he lived in the middle of a Sydney suburb, in Bonnyrigg. There is no reason why anyone would need so many guns in that situation," Albanese said. His government now wants to introduce a bill for the new program to buy back hundreds of thousands of firearms.

    Mourners at the funeral of one of the victims of the terrorist attack at Bondi Beach. (December 19, 2025)
    Mourners at the funeral of one of the victims of the terrorist attack at Bondi Beach. (December 19, 2025)
    Image: Keystone/EPA/Mick Tsikas

    It is still unclear when this will begin and what funds will be used to pay for the program. After the rampage almost 30 years ago, the multi-million dollar buyback program was financed by a temporary increase in the contribution to state health insurance.

  • Friday, December 19, 2025, 0:54 a.m.

    Hundreds of surfers commemorate terror victims at Bondi Beach

    In Australia, hundreds of surfers have commemorated the victims of the devastating terrorist attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney. This morning, they formed a large circle in the sea with their surfboards and paid tribute to the 15 victims with a minute's silence, according to local media reports. Members of the Jewish community prayed beforehand on the beach, where a huge number of surfers and swimmers had gathered.

    Hundreds of surfers at Bondi Beach on Thursday.
    Hundreds of surfers at Bondi Beach on Thursday.
    Picture: Keystone/EPA/Mick Tsikas

    Bondi Beach is Australia's most famous beach and popular with local surfers and tourists. Two assailants had shot at a crowd there on Sunday during the Jewish festival of lights Hanukkah. 15 injured people are still being treated in hospital. The beach was largely reopened to the public on Thursday.

  • 18:18

    IS celebrates attack in Australia as "pride of Sydney"

    The terrorist militia Islamic State (IS) has celebrated the anti-Semitic attack in Sydney, but has not directly claimed responsibility for the attack. In a propaganda piece circulated on the Internet, IS described the attack on Bondi Beach in the Australian metropolis as the "pride of Sydney". IS fighters and supporters would continue to try to attack "Jews everywhere", the terrorist organization announced.

    In the attack on Sunday, two assailants opened fire on the crowd on the beach during the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. They killed 15 people and dozens were injured.

    IS has not yet claimed responsibility for the attack. There was also no mention in the bulletin of whether the two attackers had sworn allegiance to IS. However, the Australian authorities assume that the two were influenced and motivated by IS.

  • 4.36 am

    Australia's prime minister admits shortcomings in the fight against anti-Semitism

    Four days after the devastating attack on a Jewish festival in Sydney, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has admitted failings in the fight against anti-Semitism. "Anyone in this position would regret not having done more," Albanese told parliament in Canberra. Now we must look to the future and take action.

    Albanese announced tougher laws against hate preachers and incitement of all kinds. The Prime Minister also said that tougher action would be taken against all those who spread "hatred and division" with regard to residency rights.

    The Australian head of government Anthony Albanese. (December 16, 2025)
    The Australian head of government Anthony Albanese. (December 16, 2025)
    Image: Keystone/EPA/Bianca de Marchi

    Within the Jewish community in Australia, on the part of the opposition and also from abroad, there was sometimes harsh criticism of Albanese. He was accused of not doing enough to protect Jews in the wake of increasing anti-Semitism in the country. Israel's right-wing conservative Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Albanese of adding "fuel to the anti-Semitic fire" with his Middle East policy. In September, Australia formally recognized Palestine as a state - as did the vast majority of the 193 UN member states.

  • 3.31 am

    Crime scene barriers removed at Bondi Beach

    Four days after the devastating attack on a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach in Sydney, most of the crime scene has been reopened to the public. Among other things, the pedestrian bridge from which the terrorists shot their victims on Sunday in one of the most serious violent crimes in the country's history has been reopened.

    Mayors from New South Wales lay wreaths at Bondi Beach on Thursday.
    Mayors from New South Wales lay wreaths at Bondi Beach on Thursday.
    Picture: Keystone/EPA/Dan Himbrechts

    Bondi Beach in Sydney is the most famous beach in Australia and is popular with local surfers and tourists alike. The fact that it is now open to the public again also marks a symbolic step towards a return to normality.

  • Thursday, December 18, 2025, 2:05 a.m.

    Holocaust survivor killed in Sydney buried

    Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman, who was killed in the terrorist attack on a Jewish festival on Bondi Beach, has been buried in Sydney. Kleytman was one of the 15 people killed and was laid to rest on Thursday at the Chevra Kadisha Jewish cemetery. He was 87 years old.

    According to media reports, Kleytman was born in 1938 in Odessa, Ukraine, where he survived the horrors of the Holocaust and the Second World War. In 1992, he emigrated with his family to Sydney, where he worked as a civil engineer and was strongly committed to the memory of the mass murder of Jews organized by the National Socialists.

    The funeral of Alex Kleytman in Sydney on Thursday.
    The funeral of Alex Kleytman in Sydney on Thursday.
    Picture: Keystone/Dean Lewins/AAP Image via AP

    His wife Larissa, to whom Kleytman was married for almost 60 years, reported that her husband had died trying to protect her from the terrorists' gunfire. Kleytman leaves behind two children and 11 grandchildren, all of whom were reportedly present at the Jewish festival of lights Hanukkah in Bondi Beach on Sunday when the attackers struck.

  • 7.04 a.m.

    Alleged attacker charged with 59 offenses

    Three days after the devastating attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney, the survivor of the two attackers has been charged with 15 counts of murder and terrorism. He is charged with a total of 59 offenses, according to police in the Australian state of New South Wales. He is also accused of planting explosive devices in or near a building with the intention of causing damage. According to the newspaper "The Sydney Morning Herald", the seriously injured gunman, who is in hospital, refused to make a statement.

    The terrorist, who was shot by security forces and subsequently arrested, woke up from a coma yesterday. He and his father had opened fire on the celebrating crowd on the beach during the Jewish festival of Hanukkah on Sunday. The father was shot dead by the police. It is now considered certain that both had links to the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS). According to the authorities, several explosive devices and two homemade IS flags were found in the son's car.

  • 5.38 a.m.

    Attacker to be questioned for the first time

    Three days after the devastating attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney, the investigators want to question the only surviving suspected attacker today. The suspected terrorist, who was shot by security forces, woke up from a coma yesterday. Investigators hope that the 24-year-old will testify and provide new information on the background to the attack, which claimed 15 lives.

    The man and his father opened fire on the celebrating crowd on the beach during the Jewish festival of Hanukkah on Sunday. They killed 15 people and dozens were injured. The 50-year-old father was shot dead by police at the scene, his son was arrested and taken to hospital with life-threatening gunshot wounds.

    According to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, the Australian domestic intelligence service had investigated the then teenager six years ago for links to an IS terrorist cell in Sydney. Australian media raised the question of why the father was granted a gun license in 2023, even though the son had previously been targeted by counter-terrorism investigators.

    A lifeguard lays flowers at Bondi Beach. (December 16, 2025)
    A lifeguard lays flowers at Bondi Beach. (December 16, 2025)
    Image: Keystone/EPA/Mick Tsikas
  • 4.01am

    21 injured still in hospital

    Three days after the terrorist attack on a Jewish festival in Sydney, 21 injured people are still being treated in hospital. Five of them are in a critical condition as of Wednesday afternoon (local time), four of them are stable, according to the health authorities of the Australian state of New South Wales. It remained unclear whether the younger of the two attackers, who was taken to hospital with gunshot wounds and is now said to be out of danger, was included.

    Swimmers from various swimming and surfing clubs take part in a vigil in Sydney on Tuesday.
    Swimmers from various swimming and surfing clubs take part in a vigil in Sydney on Tuesday.
    Picture: Keystone/EPA/Mick Tsikas

    The two attackers killed 15 people in the attack on the famous Bondi Beach on Sunday. Around 40 injured people were taken to hospital, some later died from their gunshot wounds.

    The attackers were a 50-year-old man and his 24-year-old son. The father was shot dead by security forces at the scene, his son was arrested and taken to hospital with serious injuries. According to the Australian broadcaster ABC, he is to be questioned by the police today. He had long had links to members of an Australian network of supporters of the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS).

  • Wednesday, December 17, 2025, 2:38 a.m.

    First terror victim buried

    Three days after the terrorist attack on a Jewish festival in Sydney, the first of the 15 victims has been buried. In the morning hours, the funeral service was held by Rabbi Eli Schlanger at the Jewish community center Chabad of Bondi - only about one kilometer away from the site of the attack at the famous Bondi Beach.

    Mourners attend the funeral service for Rabbi Eli Schlanger in Sydney. (December 17, 2025)
    Mourners attend the funeral service for Rabbi Eli Schlanger in Sydney. (December 17, 2025)
    Picture: Keystone/EPA/Flavio Brancaleone
  • 5am

    Report: Attackers trained in the Philippines

    According to a media report, the two attackers - father and son - of Sydney received "military-style training" in the Philippines shortly before the attack on a Jewish festival on Bondi Beach that claimed 15 lives. This was reported by the Australian television station ABC, citing security circles.

    The son had long had links to members of an Australian network of supporters of the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS), ABC further reported. Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had previously said that Australia's domestic intelligence agency had investigated the then teenager six years ago for links to a Sydney-based IS terror cell.

    Bouquets of flowers at the Bondi Beach crime scene. (December 16, 2025)
    Bouquets of flowers at the Bondi Beach crime scene. (December 16, 2025)
    Image: Keystone/EPA/Mick Tsikas

    New South Wales state police chief Mal Lanyon confirmed that both attackers had traveled to the Philippines last month, according to the Guardian. The purpose of this trip and their whereabouts there are currently being investigated, he said.

    According to Lanyon, the car registered to the son contained several explosive devices and two homemade IS flags. Investigators are still working to clarify the background to the attack. According to Albanese, the attackers were apparently influenced by IS. "It appears that (the attack) was motivated by the ideology of Islamic State," he told ABC Sydney radio.

  • Tuesday, December 16, 2025, 2:34 a.m.

    Australia's prime minister: IS ideology led to attack

    The two perpetrators of the terrorist attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney were apparently influenced by the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS), according to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. "It appears that this (the attack) was motivated by the ideology of Islamic State," Albanese told ABC Sydney radio. When asked whether he felt he had done enough to combat anti-Semitism in his country, he replied: "We are doing what we can." The ideology of IS had led to "this ideology of hatred, and in this case a willingness to commit mass murder. We are working as hard as we can."

    Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (l.) visited Ahmed al Ahmed, who overpowered one of the attackers in the attack, in hospital on Tuesday. The Syrian was shot himself in the process.
    Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (l.) visited Ahmed al Ahmed, who overpowered one of the attackers in the attack, in hospital on Tuesday. The Syrian was shot himself in the process.
    Picture: Keystone/Australian Prime Minister Office via AP

    According to Jewish representatives, there has been a drastic increase in anti-Semitic attacks in Australia since the terrorist attack on Israel by the Islamist Palestinian organization Hamas on 7 October 2023. Following Sunday's attack on the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, which left 15 people dead, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the Australian government of doing nothing to stop the rise in hatred towards Jews.

    According to Jillian Segal, Australia's special envoy for combating anti-Semitism, anti-Semitic incidents increased by 316 percent between October 2023 and September 2024 alone. More than 2,000 cases were reported, including threats, assaults, damage to property and intimidation. These included an arson attack on a synagogue in Melbourne in December 2024. At the time, the Australian authorities blamed Iran and expelled the Iranian ambassador. Albanese told the radio station that everything would continue to be done to combat anti-Semitism. "We want to eradicate anti-Semitism. That is the goal," said the Prime Minister.

    The Australian government classified the act as an anti-Semitic terrorist attack. However, the exact motive of the two is still unknown. Local media reports that two IS flags were found in one of the two men's cars were not confirmed by the police, who referred to ongoing investigations.

  • 23.09 hrs

    Sydney Opera House lights up with image of Hanukkah candelabra

    In memory of the victims of the terrorist attack in Sydney and as a sign of solidarity with the Jewish community, the famous Opera House in the Australian metropolis has been illuminated with the image of a Hanukkah candelabra. A nine-branched candelabra could be seen on the sails of the landmark on Monday evening (local time), as photos show.

    Two attackers had shot at participants in a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Sydney's popular Bondi Beach on Sunday, killing 15 people. Several dozen injured people were still being treated in hospitals.

    "After this horrific attack, it is more important than ever that the Jewish community in New South Wales knows it is not alone," said the state's chief minister, Chris Minns, according to Australian media reports.

    The sails of the Sydney Opera House on Monday night.
    The sails of the Sydney Opera House on Monday night.
    Picture: Keystone/Jonathan Ng/Pool Photo via AP
  • 9.44pm

    Concerns about further attacks on Jewish targets worldwide

    After the bloody attack in Australia, there is concern about further attacks on Jewish targets worldwide. The Israeli TV station Chadschot 13 reported that the Israeli foreign intelligence service Mossad is warning of "an unprecedented increase in groups carrying out terrorist attacks against Jews and Israelis abroad by Iranians and Palestinians". A spokeswoman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said she could not share intelligence information.

    Israeli minister responsible for diaspora issues and the fight against anti-Semitism Amichai Chikli prepares to pray at Bondi Beach on Tuesday (local time).
    Israeli minister responsible for diaspora issues and the fight against anti-Semitism Amichai Chikli prepares to pray at Bondi Beach on Tuesday (local time).
    Image: Keystone/EPA/Mick Tsikas

    According to the report, Mossad chief David Barnea has passed on warnings to colleagues in several European countries as well as other locations around the world. In it, he pointed to growing Iranian preparations for attacks in retaliation for the war between Israel and Iran in June, in which Iranian nuclear facilities were also bombed. Barnea also warned of Palestinian attacks as a result of the Gaza war.

    Two assassins - father and son - had shot at participants of a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach in Sydney on Sunday, killing 15 of them. Chadschot 13 reported that, according to Mossad estimates, the two attackers had been trained in Pakistan by members of the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS).

    The Israeli news portal "ynet" reported that Israel's security authorities had warned against copycat attacks. According to the report, Jewish community facilities as well as official Israeli diplomatic missions were among the potential targets. Israeli embassies and missions worldwide have therefore been instructed not to hold any outdoor celebrations for the Jewish Hanukkah festival this week.

  • 9.50 a.m.

    27 people still in hospital

    Following the attack on a Jewish festival in Sydney which left 16 people dead, 27 injured people are still being treated in hospitals. Six of them are in a critical condition, six others are in a critical but stable condition, the Australian health authorities announced.

    According to media reports, more of the fatalities have now been identified. Among them is Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman, reported "The Australian". His wife, also a Holocaust survivor according to the newspaper, told the paper that they had both been at Bondi Beach to celebrate Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights. They had emigrated from Ukraine to Australia at the time and had been married for almost 60 years.

    A ten-year-old girl and two rabbis are also reportedly among the dead.

  • 5.35 a.m.

    Albanese wants stricter gun laws

    Following the deadly attack on a Jewish festival in Sydney, the Australian government is considering tightening gun laws. He will propose a limit on the number of weapons and a review of existing licenses, announced Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. "People's circumstances can change. People can become radicalized over time. Licenses should not be issued on a permanent basis," said Albanese.

    Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at a press conference on Monday.
    Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at a press conference on Monday.
    Picture: Keystone/EPA/Steven Markham

    The attack in Sydney on Sunday, in which two perpetrators shot dead 15 people, was the worst case of gun violence in the country for around 30 years. Investigators have identified the two attackers as father and son. The 50-year-old father was shot dead by emergency services at the scene. The 24-year-old son was caught and taken to hospital with serious injuries. The head of the New South Wales Police, Mal Lanyon, explained that the father had been a member of a hunting club. He had a gun license, which is why he was allowed to own long guns.

    After the worst shooting rampage in Australia's history in April 1996, when a 28-year-old man shot 35 people in the ruins of a former prison camp in Port Arthur in Tasmania, strict gun laws were introduced in Australia. However, according to recent media reports, there have been concerns about a renewed increase in the number of guns in the country.

  • 3.32 a.m.

    Deaths from Israel and France in terrorist attack on Jews

    According to French President Emmanuel Macron, a man with French citizenship was among the victims of the terrorist attack on a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney. This was announced by Macron on Monday (local time).

    The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed the death of a person with Israeli citizenship, without providing further details. The Jewish movement Chabad announced that one of those killed was the organizer of the celebration and a rabbi from the Chabad of Bondi synagogue. The Chabad movement carries out public relations work worldwide and sponsors events during important Jewish holidays.

    According to media reports, a Holocaust survivor was also among the victims. His wife told the newspaper "The Australian" that her husband had died in the massacre.

    Two gunmen attacked the Jewish celebration on Sunday. They shot 15 people dead and at least 42 others were injured, according to police. The attack was classified as an anti-Semitic terrorist attack. The two attackers were a 50-year-old man and his 24-year-old son. The 50-year-old was shot dead by police at the scene and his son was taken to hospital with injuries.

    Chairs, bath towels and other items that people left behind as they fled bullets on Sunday lie on a lawn near Bondi Beach.
    Chairs, bath towels and other items that people left behind as they fled bullets on Sunday lie on a lawn near Bondi Beach.
    Picture: Keystone/EPA/Dean Lewins
  • Monday, December 15, 2025, 2:12 a.m.

    Australia flies flags at half-mast after attack

    Following the devastating attack on a Jewish festival in Sydney that left at least 16 people dead, flags in Australia are being flown at half-mast as a sign of mourning. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke of a "dark day in the history of our country". He laid flowers at the Bondi Pavilion on the popular Bondi Beach, where the atrocity had taken place the day before, and paid tribute to the victims. According to Australian media, it was the worst case of gun violence in the country for around 30 years.

    At a press conference, Albanese declined to respond directly to comments made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had accused Australia of failing to take a firm stance against anti-Semitism. "This is a moment of national unity," Albanese said. "This is a moment for Australians to come together. That is exactly what we will do," he added.

    Australia's Governor-General Sam Mostyn lays a bouquet of flowers at Bondi Beach on Monday.
    Australia's Governor-General Sam Mostyn lays a bouquet of flowers at Bondi Beach on Monday.
    Picture: Keystone/AP Photo/Mark Baker
  • 9.59pm

    Police: Attackers in Sydney were father and son

    Following the attack on a Jewish festival in Sydney, Australia, investigators have identified the two attackers as father and son. This was announced by the police at a press conference.

    The 50-year-old father was shot dead by emergency services at the scene. The 24-year-old son was caught and taken to hospital with serious injuries. The police do not believe that any other perpetrators were involved at the scene.

    Police patrol on Bondi Beach in the morning. After the terrorist attack on a Jewish festival in the Australian metropolis of Sydney, the police now put the death toll at 16.
    Police patrol on Bondi Beach in the morning. After the terrorist attack on a Jewish festival in the Australian metropolis of Sydney, the police now put the death toll at 16.
    Bild: sda
  • 21:44

    Trump praises those who overpowered the shooter after attack in Sydney

    US President Donald Trump has expressed his sympathy after the "horrible" attack in Sydney and explicitly praised a man who overpowered one of the shooters. This was "a very, very brave person", Trump said during a Christmas speech. The man had saved the lives of many people. Trump condemned the attack - like the Australian authorities - as anti-Semitic.

    Trump praises those who overpowered the shooter after the attack in Sydney.
    Trump praises those who overpowered the shooter after the attack in Sydney.
    Bild: Alex Brandon/AP/dpa

    The scene of a passer-by surprising and disarming one of the shooters during the attack was filmed. The man first jumps on the attacker's back from behind. After a brief scuffle, he takes the gun from him. The suspected perpetrator, who had previously been shooting around, escapes with a limp. The passer-by is celebrated as a "hero" in the Australian media.

  • 21.02 hrs

    Bondi Beach remains closed

    Following the attack on Bondi Beach in Sydney, which left at least 16 people dead, the famous beach will remain closed on Monday. Investigators are still examining the crime scene, the New South Wales police announced on Platform X. Neither airplanes nor drones are allowed to fly over the area.

  • 8.38 p.m.

    Death toll rises to 16

    Following the terrorist attack on a Jewish festival in the Australian metropolis of Sydney, the police now put the death toll at 16. 40 people are still in hospital, the New South Wales police announced on Platform X.

  • 18.50 hrs

    Palestinian Authority condemns attack in Sydney

    The Palestinian Authority has condemned the deadly attack at the Jewish Festival of Lights in the Australian metropolis of Sydney. According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, the state of Palestine "reaffirms its firm stance of rejecting all forms of extremism and terrorism, including the killing of civilians", it said in a statement in Ramallah. "The State of Palestine also condemned the continued killing of civilians by Israel in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank."

    It also expressed its sincere condolences to the families of the victims and to the government and people of friendly Australia, and wished the injured a speedy recovery, the statement added.

  • 5.05 p.m.

    Netanyahu accuses Australia of inaction against hatred of Jews

    Following the bloody attack in Sydney, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Australia of failing to take decisive action against anti-Semitism. Netanyahu said in a statement that he had already warned Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in a letter four months ago "that the Australian government's policy promotes and encourages anti-Semitism in Australia".

    Australia and other leading states had formally recognized a state of Palestine this year in the wake of the devastating Gaza war. Netanyahu accused Albanese of adding "fuel to the anti-Semitic fire". The recognition rewards Hamas terrorists. It encourages "those who threaten Australian Jews and encourages the hatred of Jews that is now spreading through your streets".

    Netanyahu accuses Australia of inaction against Jew-hatred. (archive picture)
    Netanyahu accuses Australia of inaction against Jew-hatred. (archive picture)
    Bild: Ohad Zwigenberg/AP/dpa

    The Israeli head of government wrote that anti-Semitism is a cancer. "You have done nothing to contain the cancer cells that were growing in your country, you have not acted," he accused Albanese. "You have allowed the disease to spread - and the result is the horrific attacks on Jews that we have seen today."

  • 14:36

    Keller-Sutter expresses solidarity with victims in Sydney

    President Karin Keller-Sutter has condemned the terrorist attack on a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach in Sydney. Switzerland expresses its solidarity with the victims.

    Switzerland firmly rejects all forms of violence, anti-Semitism and hatred, Keller-Sutter announced on the short message service X. Following the terrorist attack on Bondi Beach, Switzerland expresses its solidarity with the victims and their families, the Federal Councillor continued.

  • 2.17 p.m.

    UN chief Guterres expresses "horror"

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed his horror at the deadly attack in Sydney. He condemned this "heinous attack", the UN chief announced via the online platform X. "My heart goes out to the Jewish community around the world on this first day of Hanukkah, a festival that celebrates the miracle of peace and the light that conquers darkness."

  • 1:20 p.m.

    Perpetrators shot with shotgun and rifle - mother is hit in front of her children

    Abdullah Ashrof witnessed the attack - and helped care for the wounded. Including a police officer - and a woman: "I think the worst thing was that two of her children were right next to her," he tells the Guardian. "She was very brave and tried to stay conscious and talk."

  • 12.25 pm

    Is there a third perpetrator?

    Police are investigating whether there could be a third perpetrator, says Mal Lanyon of the New South Wales Police. They have also discovered the car of the two known shooters, in which explosives are suspected. The Daily Mail claims to have identified one of the perpetrators as 24-year-old Naveed A.

  • 12.10 p.m.

    Anti-Semitic act of terror

    The Premier of the state of New South Wales, Chris Minns, announces that the death toll has risen to twelve. The number of injured is now given by the police as 29. The authorities are now classifying the incident as an act of terrorism.

  • 11.50 a.m.

    Two police officers also injured

    According to the local police, in addition to the 10 fatalities, there are 11 injured, two of whom are police officers. The crime scene remains cordoned off because the authorities are investigating suspicious objects. A second shooter is in critical condition, the police add.

    Emerging: Police say they’re responding to 'developing incident,' urges public to avoid the area and take shelter at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia amid eyewitnesses reports of shooting.

    [image or embed]

    — AZ Intel (@azintel.bsky.social) 14. Dezember 2025 um 09:14
  • 10.50 a.m.

    Brave passer-by overpowers one of the shooters

    According to the Guardian, the police have admitted that nine people were killed. One of the shooters was also shot.

    There are various videos on social media, some of which show gruesome scenes. Both the victims and two shooters were filmed. One of the two perpetrators was apparently disarmed by a passer-by, who bravely and courageously took the gun from the man wearing light-colored trousers and a black shirt.


According to official reports, the attack in the Australian metropolis of Sydney was an act of terrorism. The attack was directed against the Jewish community on the first day of Hanukkah, said the head of the New South Wales government, Chris Minns.

At least twelve people and one of the attackers were killed. Another suspected perpetrator is in custody.

The two attackers began shooting at families who had gathered at the well-known Bondi Beach at around 6.47 p.m. on Sunday evening.

Head of government: Shocking and painful

What should have been a day of peace and joy to be celebrated in the community with family and supporters had been "shattered by this horrific and vicious attack", Minns said. This was shocking and painful.

The Jewish organization Australian Jewish Association had previously written on X: "Shots fired at a Hanukkah event." It added: "We warned so many times that this would happen."

Israeli President Izchak Herzog spoke of a "cruel attack on Jews". "We keep repeating our warnings to the Australian government to demand action and to fight against the enormous wave of anti-Semitism that is sweeping Australian society."