Mass shooting at Bondi Beach Hanukkah event kills 15, prompting national inquiry into antisemitism

On 14 December 2025, a mass shooting targeted a public Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, killing 15 people and injuring many others. Australian authorities investigated the attack as terrorism aimed at the Jewish community, and national leaders later described it as the deadliest terrorist attack on Australian soil. Australia was shaken by an unprecedented attack on a beachfront community gathering marking the start of Hanukkah. The violence unfolded within minutes, turning a celebration into a national tragedy and triggering heightened security for Jewish sites and public events. In the weeks that followed, the case became a focal point for broader concerns about antisemitism and extremist violence. On 8 January 2026, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a Royal Commission to examine the attack and the wider environment of antisemitism and social cohesion -alongside a separate review into whether there were any preventable failures in security and intelligence.