11 dead as gunmen open fire on Jewish community in Australia

The community had gathered at the beach to celebrate the start of Hanukkah, a major Jewish festival. The event has more than 1,000 in attendance.

A mass shooting in Bondi Beach, in Sydney, Australia, has led to the death of 11 people.

The state police said around 29 people were also injured in the attack targeted at the Jewish community.

The injured include two police officers and a child.

The community had gathered at the beach to celebrate the start of Hanukkah, a major Jewish festival. The event had more than 1,000 people in attendance.

Al Jazeera reported that witnesses described scenes of chaos as gunmen opened fire on crowds at Bondi Beach.

“It was kind of like fish in a barrel,” a witness said, adding that some bystanders rushed to help the injured.

“A few people helped a few older people get up and get out of there, but it was like there were lots of bodies on the floor.”

One gunman involved in the shooting died in the attack, while another is in critical condition, according to the Australian police say

PREMIUM TIMES reports that the country’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, described the attack as “an act of evil antisemitism, terrorism that has struck the heart of our nation.”

Directly addressing the Jewish community, he said, “As prime minister, on behalf of all Australians, to the Jewish community: We stand with you, we embrace you, and we reaffirm tonight that you have every right to be proud of who you are and what you believe.

“You have the right to worship and study and work and live in peace and safety.”

Netanyahu, other world leaders react

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the Australian authorities of making room for anti-semitism against the Jewish community to thrive.

Mr Netanyahu said the Australian government had poured oil on the flames of antisemitism by its inaction and silence towards anti-Jewish sentiment in the country.

“Antisemitism is a cancer that spreads when leaders remain silent, and they must replace weakness with strength in facing it.”

“That did not happen in Australia – and today, something terrible occurred there—a cold-blooded murder,” he said, according to CNN.

Several world leaders have also condemned the attack.

The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, condemned the attack and declared that there was no room for “antisemitism in the world.”

“Our prayers are with the victims of this horrific attack, the Jewish community, and the people of Australia,” Mr Rubio wrote in a post on X.

France’s President, Emmanuel Macron, also said, “France extends its thoughts to the victims, the injured, and their loved ones.

“We share the pain of the Australian people and will continue to fight relentlessly against anti-Semitic hatred, which hurts us all wherever it strikes.”

Similarly, the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres declared that he was horrified by the shooting “on Jewish families gathered in Sydney to celebrate Hanukkah.”

Germany’s Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said the incident called for increased action against anti-Semitism globally.