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Silent shores: Bondi Beach reels after deadly attack
Bondi Beach, usually bustling with sunbathers and surfers, stood eerily quiet on Monday as forensic teams scoured the scene of Australia's deadliest terror attack. At least 15 people were killed and over 40 injured when two gunmen opened fire during a Hanukkah celebration on Sunday afternoon.
A community shattered
Scattered belongings-crumpled towels, abandoned beach chairs, and a pair of children's sandals-marked the panic of fleeing crowds. Nearby, a growing wall of floral tributes lined the footpath as locals, many with tear-streaked faces, struggled to comprehend the violence.
"I've grown up in fear my whole life," said 22-year-old Jess, a Jewish local. "This felt inevitable." The sentiment echoed across the beach: shock at the attack in a country perceived as safe, yet grim resignation amid rising antisemitism.
"Our innocence is over, you know? I think we will be forever changed, a bit like Port Arthur."
Yvonne Harber, mourner at Bondi Beach
Victims and grief
Among the dead was Rabbi Eli Schlanger, a prominent local figure who had welcomed his fifth child just a month earlier. His brother-in-law, Rabbi Mendel Kastel, described the family as "falling apart." The youngest victim, 10-year-old Matilda, was killed "for being Jewish," according to Alex Ryvchin, co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry.
Ryvchin, numb yet distraught, called the attack "our worst fear" but admitted it had seemed "outside the realm of possibilities." His organization had warned authorities about a surge in antisemitic incidents since Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack on Israel and the subsequent Gaza war, but he said the alarms went unheeded.
Government response and public outrage
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited Bondi on Monday, condemning the attack as "an act of pure evil" and outlining measures to combat antisemitism, including a federal police taskforce and stricter hate crime laws. However, his words offered little solace to mourners like Nadine Saachs, who blamed the government for failing to act decisively after earlier incidents.
"If they had put their foot down straight away this would not have happened. The Albanese government is a disgrace as far as I'm concerned. They have blood on their hands."
Karen Sher, sister of Nadine Saachs
Recent months had seen a spate of antisemitic offenses, including arson attacks on synagogues, vandalism of a Jewish MP's office, and a protest outside the New South Wales parliament organized by a neo-Nazi group.
Investigation and broader tensions
Police identified the attackers as a father-son duo, Sajid Akram, 50, and Naveed, 24, and searched their home and a rental property linked to the assault. Authorities also expressed concerns about potential reprisals, noting a parallel rise in Islamophobia since October 7.
Syrian refugee Ahmed al Ahmed, who disarmed one of the attackers and was shot multiple times, remained hospitalized. Meanwhile, leaders from all states and territories convened to discuss tightening gun control laws, reminiscent of reforms enacted after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.
Solidarity amid sorrow
Amid the grief, acts of solidarity emerged. Blood banks, facing critically low stocks, saw overwhelming demand, with queues stretching for hours. "I don't agree with what's happening overseas, but that doesn't justify opening fire on innocent people here," said Jim, a donor waiting in line.
Alex Gilders, 21, hoped the outpouring of support would comfort the Jewish community. "Australia has your back," he said.
