At Least 16 Killed in Shooting at Jewish Hanukkah Event in Sydney

At Least 16 Killed in Shooting at Jewish Hanukkah Event in Sydney
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At least 16 people were killed when gunmen opened fire during a Jewish holiday gathering at Bondi Beach in Sydney on Sunday in what authorities described as a targeted antisemitic attack, Reuters reported. New South Wales police said one suspected attacker was killed at the scene, while another was critically injured, with investigators examining whether a third assailant was involved.

Nearly 40 people, including two police officers, were taken to hospital. Officials said casualties could have been significantly higher if not for the actions of a bystander who intervened and disarmed one of the gunmen, an act praised by state leaders as heroic.

Police bomb-disposal teams were deployed after several suspected improvised explosive devices were located near the area. Australia’s domestic intelligence chief said one suspect had previously come to the attention of authorities but was not considered an immediate threat.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese convened the national security council and condemned the violence, calling it an attack on Jewish Australians during the first day of Hanukkah. Witnesses described scenes of panic as hundreds of people fled the crowded beach.

The shooting followed a rise in antisemitic incidents across Australia since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023. International leaders and religious groups condemned the attack, while authorities continued investigations into the motives and those responsible.