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The Israeli president has stated that a shooting attack in Sydney was aimed at the Jewish community.
On Sunday, December 14, two unidentified individuals opened fire on people at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, during a Hanukkah celebration attended by members of the local Jewish community, Bloomberg reported.
At least ten people were killed, including one of the attackers. The second suspected shooter is in critical condition. Police also confirmed that at least 11 people were injured, among them two police officers.
According to police, several “suspicious items” found near the scene are currently being examined by specialists. Authorities have not yet disclosed the attackers’ motives or specific targets.
The shooting began shortly after 6:30 p.m., when hundreds of people had gathered for the “Hanukkah by the Sea” event to mark the beginning of the Jewish holiday. One eyewitness described the scene as chaotic.
“It was a real massacre. At first, I thought it was fireworks. Then I saw a group of people running toward a car. It was chaos,” the witness told journalists.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese commented on the attack, saying that the scenes at Bondi Beach were “shocking and deeply disturbing.”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said the shooting was a targeted attack on the Jewish community.
“Right now, our sisters and brothers in Sydney, Australia, have been attacked by vile terrorists in a brutal assault on Jews gathered at Bondi Beach to light the first Hanukkah candle,” Herzog was quoted as saying by his office in Jerusalem.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said he was shocked by what he described as a “barbaric attack.” He linked the incident to antisemitic unrest in Australia over the past two years, as well as to antisemitic and inciting calls to “globalize the intifada,” which he said had now translated into violence.
“The Australian government, which received countless warnings, must come to its senses,” Sa’ar added, according to DW.
The shooting has also prompted a response from European Parliament President Roberta Metsola.
