Bondi Beach massacre, Sydney: 15 dead during Hanukkah celebrations. Police: "It's anti-Semitic terrorism."

Australia is in shock after one of the worst massacres in recent years. At least 15 people were killed and around thirty injured. a Bondi Beach shooting, the famous beach of Sydney, where approximately 2.000 people were attending celebrations of the Jewish holiday of HanukkahAuthorities have classified the attack as a terrorist attack targeted against the Jewish community.

The shooting occurred in the late afternoon, around 18.40 local time (8.40 in Italy), during the event “Chanukah by the Sea”, advertised as a family event. In a few moments, what was supposed to be an evening of celebration and sharing turned into a hell of gunfire, panic and blood.

The toll and the injured

According to what was reported by the police of New South Wales, 29 people were taken to various hospitals in the Sydney area., among which two police officersThe conditions of many of the injured are serious, although variable. Among those hospitalized is also a child, while the authorities have clarified that they do not believe that there are minors among the victims.

Among the dead was also identified the Sydney rabbi Eli Schlanger, a very well-known figure within the local Jewish community, news reported by Times of Israel.

The attackers and the ongoing investigations

Police confirmed that one of the attackers is dead, while a second suspect is hospitalized in critical conditionInitially, the media had reported that two attackers had been killed, but the authorities are now investigating the possible presence of a third attacker.

The Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon he declared that he had authorized special powers To allow law enforcement to act quickly if further threats emerge. Meanwhile, the name of one of the gunmen is circulating: Naveed Akram, resident in bonnyrigg, in southwestern Sydney. Investigations into his contact network and possible motives are ongoing.

The dynamics of the attack

According to testimonies collected by the Australian media, two men dressed in black they would have gotten off a vehicle in Campbell Parade, close to Bondi Pavilion, opening fire on the crowd. Some witnesses speak of semiautomatic shotguns, while the images spread on social media show numerous shell casings on the ground and at least an abandoned shotgun on the beach.

The New South Wales Police immediately urged the public to take shelter, while the area was isolated with a massive deployment of law enforcement and rescue workers.

“An attack planned against the Jewish community”

The Premier of New South Wales, Chris Minns, spoke bluntly of a targeted attack:

"It was designed to target Sydney's Jewish community. On the first day of Hanukkah, a night that should have been one of peace and joy was shattered by a horrific and evil act."

Along the same lines Jeremy Leibler, Chairman of the Zionist Federation of Australia, who described a community “in shock” and in state of maximum alert.

The Australian government's reaction

The prime minister Anthony albanese he called the attack “shocking and distressing scenes” and spoke openly about anti-semitic terrorism:

"The evil unleashed today at Bondi Beach is incomprehensible. The trauma and loss the families are facing is beyond their worst nightmare."

Albanese also praised the courage of citizens and rescuers who risked his life to help others, underlining how some interventions have contributed to saving human lives.

Israel's condemnation

The reaction also lasts Israel. President Isaac Duke he spoke of a “cruel attack against the Jews” and called on Australia to strengthen the fight against anti-Semitism, denouncing a growing wave of hatred affecting Jewish communities around the world.

Bondi Beach: From Symbol of Peace to Theater of Terror

Bondi Beach, one of the most famous beaches in the world, a symbol of relaxation, surfing and multiculturalism, became for one evening the scene of an attack that struck Australia at the heartInvestigations continue unabated, while the country questions how a festive event could have turned into one of the darkest pages in its recent history.