Israeli leaders have strongly condemned the terrorist attack on a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, describing it as a cruel and deliberate act of antisemitism that claimed at least 12 lives, including one gunman, and injured 29 others. The shooting occurred on December 14, 2025, during the "Chanukah by the Sea" event organised by Chabad of Bondi, where hundreds gathered to mark the first night of Hanukkah.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog called it a "very cruel attack on Jews who went to light the first candle of Hanukkah on Bondi Beach," urging Australia to combat the "enormous wave of antisemitism" affecting society. He noted speaking with David Ossip, President of the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies, who was addressing the crowd when the gunfire began.

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar attributed the attack to "the anti-Semitic rampage in the streets of Australia over the past two years," criticising the government for ignoring warnings and highlighting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's initial statement for omitting references to Jews, antisemitism, or terror. Opposition leader Yair Lapid expressed horror at the "antisemitic terrorist attack targeting Jewish families", listing it alongside attacks in Boulder, Manchester, and Washington, and now Sydney, and calling for decisive global intervention.

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Australian authorities, including Prime Minister Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns, have condemned the incident as terrorism and "evil antisemitism", confirming it targeted the Jewish community amid heightened concerns over rising antisemitic incidents linked to the Israel-Gaza conflict. Police discovered improvised explosive devices in a vehicle connected to the attackers, with investigations ongoing into motives and possible additional suspects.

The attack, one of Australia's deadliest mass shootings in decades, has drawn international outrage, underscoring broader fears of surging global antisemitism as Jewish communities worldwide observe Hanukkah, a festival symbolising light over darkness.

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