Australian authorities said that one of the two gunmen was killed by police, while the other was arrested and remained in critical condition as of Sunday. One of the perpetrators was reportedly known to law enforcement, though there had been no specific threat ahead of the “Chanukah by the Sea” event at one of the country’s most iconic beaches.
Dramatic video footage from the scene spread across social media on Sunday, including clips that appear to show a bystander tackling one of the gunmen and preventing even more bloodshed. Other footage showed people in bathing suits running from the water as shots rang out.
Police also found several improvised explosive devices in one of the suspects’ cars, suggesting that even greater violence was a possibility.
At least 38 people were confirmed wounded, according to police in Australia, a nation with some of the strictest gun laws in the world that has rarely confronted a mass shooting of this scale. It is believed to be the deadliest shooting in Australia in nearly 30 years.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was devastated by the attack and promised to stand by the nation’s Jewish community.
“This is a targeted attack on Jewish Australians on the first day of Hanukkah, which should be a day of joy, a celebration of faith. An act of evil, antisemitism, terrorism that has struck the heart of our nation,” the prime minister said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco also condemned the attack, as did heads of state and officials from around the world.
“The United States strongly condemns the terrorist attack in Australia targeting a Jewish celebration,” Mr. Rubio said. “Antisemitism has no place in this world. Our prayers are with the victims of this horrific attack, the Jewish community, and the people of Australia.”
Australia is home to about 117,000 Jews. Like other nations around the world, Australia has seen a spike in antisemitic incidents since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack in Israel and subsequent Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip. Antisemitic incidents, including assaults, vandalism, threats and intimidation, surged more than threefold since then, according to government figures, including major incidents in Sydney, Melbourne and elsewhere.
Other nations, including the U.S., have seen major instances of antisemitic violence. Two Israeli embassy staffers were killed by a gunman in Washington last May. In June, an attacker used Molotov cocktails in an assault on a pro-Israel demonstration in Boulder, Colorado.
There have been a host of other antisemitic attacks in the U.S. in recent years even before the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel.
Jewish leaders around the world said the community must stand strong in the aftermath of the Sydney attack.
“We must heighten vigilance and work in close coordination with law enforcement and security authorities to ensure that Jewish life can continue openly, safely, and without intimidation,” Ronald Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress, said in a statement. “Make no mistake, this will not break us. We will continue to stand proudly, united against all forms of violence and hate, and in unwavering solidarity with Jewish communities everywhere.”
U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, Georgia Democrat and a pastor, said the U.S. and the rest of the world must condemn antisemitism and respond to its global rise.
“There are those who are trying to stock fear and hatred all across the globe, and what they are trying to do is convince us that our neighbors are enemies,” he told NBC’s “Meet the Press” program on Sunday. “We have to reject that premise and recommit ourselves to building what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called the beloved community.”
In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams said there have been no specific threats to Jewish celebrations in the city but that he was deploying additional law enforcement out of an abundance of caution.
“We will continue to ensure the Jewish community can celebrate the holiday in safety — including at public Menorah lightings across the city. Let us pray for the injured and stand together against hatred,” Mr. Adams said on X.
Police in Miami Beach also said they have “increased our uniformed presence at synagogues, schools, and other key locations citywide to help ensure the continued safety of our residents and visitors.” Police in Los Angeles said they would send additional patrols to Jewish facilities, schools, synagogues, and Hanukkah events.
The attack also appears to be deepening a rift between Australia and Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said that Australia’s policies, including the recognition of a Palestinian state, have contributed to the rise of antisemitism.
“Antisemitism is a cancer. It spreads when leaders stay silent. You must replace weakness with action,” Mr. Netanyahu said, according to Israeli media.
• Seth McLaughlin contributed to this article, which is based in part on wire service reports.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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