On December 15, 2025, as the sun set over Sydney’s Bondi Beach, a scene of joy and celebration turned suddenly to horror. Hundreds had gathered for the Chanukah by the Sea event, a family-friendly festival marking the start of Hanukkah with food, face painting, and even a petting zoo. But the festivities were shattered when two gunmen opened fire, killing at least 15 people and wounding dozens more in what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese would later describe as "an act of antisemitic terrorism that struck at the heart of the nation," according to the Associated Press.
The attack, the deadliest mass shooting in Australia since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, has reignited fierce debate over gun control and the fight against rising antisemitism in the country. In the immediate aftermath, Australian leaders pledged to overhaul the country’s already stringent gun laws, promising swift and decisive action to prevent such tragedy from ever happening again.
Police quickly identified the suspected attackers as a father and son duo. The 50-year-old father was killed at the scene by police, while his 24-year-old son remained in a coma as of December 16. Authorities have withheld their names but confirmed that the older suspect had legally owned six guns and held a gun license for a decade. The younger, an Australian-born citizen, had previously been investigated by the Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) in 2019 for his associations with a Sydney-based Islamic State cell. However, as Prime Minister Albanese explained, "He was examined on the basis of being associated with others and the assessment was made that there was no indication of any ongoing threat or threat of him engaging in violence."
The violence left a deep scar on the community. Among the dead were a 10-year-old girl, a rabbi, and a Holocaust survivor. The casualties spanned generations, with victims ranging in age from 10 to 87. The identities of some victims began to emerge in news reports: Rabbi Eli Schlanger, assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi and one of the event’s organizers, was among those killed, as confirmed by Chabad, the Orthodox Jewish movement. Israel’s Foreign Ministry reported the death of an Israeli citizen, while French President Emmanuel Macron identified a French citizen, Dan Elkayam, among the victims. Larisa Kleytman told reporters her husband, Alexander Kleytman—both Holocaust survivors—was also killed, according to The Australian.
At least 25 people remained hospitalized on December 16, including 10 in critical condition and several children. Two police officers were among those injured. One of the day’s unlikely heroes, Ahmed al Ahmed, a 42-year-old fruit shop owner and father of two, was shot in the shoulder while tackling and disarming one of the assailants. Al Ahmed, who migrated from Syria in 2006 and became an Australian citizen, was praised for his bravery. "My son has always been brave. He helps people. He’s like that," his mother, Malakeh Hasan al Ahmed, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation through an interpreter. Al Ahmed underwent surgery the day after the attack.
As the nation reeled, leaders at both the federal and state level acknowledged that, despite Australia’s reputation for some of the world’s strictest gun laws, there were gaps that needed urgent attention. The government’s proposed reforms include limiting the number of guns an individual can own, more frequent reviews of gun licenses, and restricting gun ownership to Australian citizens—a measure that would have excluded the older suspect, who migrated to Australia in 1998 as a student and became a permanent resident after marrying an Australian. Another significant proposal is the "additional use of criminal intelligence" in determining eligibility for a gun license, which could allow authorities to consider the associations of license holders’ family members or close contacts.
Chris Minns, Premier of New South Wales, where Sydney is the state capital, voiced a sentiment that resonated with many. "If you’re not a farmer, you’re not involved in agriculture, why do you need these massive weapons that put the public in danger and make life dangerous and difficult for New South Wales Police?" he asked, as reported by the Associated Press.
Gun control advocate Rebecca Peters, who led the campaign for sweeping reforms after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, spoke to NPR about the aftermath of the Bondi Beach shooting. She explained that while Australia’s gun laws are far stricter than those in most American states—requiring a license, proof of being a "fit and proper person," and a valid reason to own a gun—there are still loopholes. "The most common valid reason is said to be recreational hunting. And we think that that is probably far too widely being used as that’s the easiest one to prove, and that seems to be the reason that was given by the owner of the guns in this case," Peters said. She called for a much stricter approach to approving licenses and for shortening the maximum license duration, which currently ranges from three to ten years. "Over the period of 10 years, a lot of things can change in a person’s life, and you may no longer be the person who was fit and proper in the first place," she noted.
The massacre has also thrown a spotlight on the surge of antisemitic attacks in Australia, particularly in Sydney and Melbourne, home to the vast majority of the nation’s Jewish population. Over the past year, synagogues and cars have been torched, businesses and homes graffitied, and Jews attacked in both cities. According to official figures, Australia’s Jewish community numbers about 117,000 out of a population of 28 million. Jewish leaders have criticized the government’s response as inadequate, with Alex Ryvchin, spokesperson for the Australian Council of Executive Jewry, telling reporters, "I think the federal government has made a number of missteps on antisemitism. I think when an attack such as what we saw yesterday takes place, the paramount and fundamental duty of government is the protection of its citizens, so there’s been an immense failure."
The government, for its part, has pointed to steps taken since October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel and Israel responded with an offensive in Gaza. These include appointing a special envoy to combat antisemitism, toughening relevant laws, and investing in enhanced security for Jewish schools and synagogues. Still, critics argue these measures have not been enough to stem the tide.
Internationally, the shooting drew swift condemnation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that he had warned Australia’s leaders months earlier about the dangers of rising antisemitism, suggesting that Australia’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state "pours fuel on the antisemitic fire." While Prime Minister Albanese has previously blamed Iran for other attacks and cut diplomatic ties to Tehran, authorities have not suggested any Iranian connection to the Bondi Beach massacre.
As Australia prepares to tighten its gun laws once again, many are reflecting on the lessons of the past. The 1996 Port Arthur massacre, which claimed 35 lives, prompted a bipartisan, nationwide overhaul of gun regulations. As Rebecca Peters told NPR, "At that time, our prime minister was from the Conservative Party in Australia, which was sort of unexpected that the Conservative Party would be the one that would take this decisive move. But actually, Conservatives or Progressives are just as committed as each other to preventing gun death and injury and trauma and crime." That spirit of unity may now be needed more than ever as the country faces a new reckoning with violence, hate, and the laws meant to keep its people safe.
With wounds still raw and questions swirling, Australia stands at another crossroads—a nation determined not to let tragedy define its future, but to take the hard steps necessary to protect all its citizens.
