A day after a terror attack at Bondi Beach left 15 people dead during the first Hanukkah candle lighting, hundreds gathered Monday at the same site to light the second candle in a show of resilience and mourning.
“It happened yesterday, a tragic event that cannot be explained in words,” Rabbi Yossi Shochat told the crowd. “We survived for thousands of years. Where there is light, darkness must not prevail. The light will always remain.”
Forty people wounded in Sunday’s attack were taken to hospitals, including two police officers who confronted the attackers and remain hospitalized in serious but stable condition. On Monday authorities released the name of another victim: Marika Pugni, 82, a member of Sydney’s Jewish community. So far nine of the 15 victims have been publicly identified, the youngest of whom was 10.
Australian authorities are investigating the attack carried out by Sajid and Naveed Akram, a father and son. Sajid, 50, was killed after an extended exchange of gunfire; his son, Naveed, was seriously wounded. Police found an Islamic State flag and improvised explosive devices in the attackers’ vehicle. Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) examined Naveed in 2019 over suspected ties to an Islamic State cell in Sydney, but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said there was no indication then that he posed an imminent threat.
In response to remarks by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the attack, Albanese said Monday he does not accept linking recognition of a Palestinian state to the massacre.
In the wake of the attack, police raided two properties connected to the Akram family: one in Bonnyrigg, a Sydney suburb where the family lived, resulting in two arrests and the seizure of six legally owned firearms; and another at an Airbnb in Campsie, where the father and son had been staying in recent weeks and may have prepared for the attack.
The attackers’ family told Australian media that Naveed had told them he and his father were going to Jervis Bay, south of Sydney, for a day of swimming and fishing before the attack. “He called me on Sunday and said, ‘Mom, I just went swimming. I went diving. We’re going to eat now,’” said Verna Akram, Naveed’s mother. She said that on the morning of the shooting he told her, “We’ll stay home now because it’s very hot.”
Also on Monday, members of Sydney’s Jewish community gathered outside the hospital where Ahmed al Ahmed, a 43‑year‑old Muslim migrant who wrestled a rifle from one of the terrorists and subdued him, is being treated. Ahmed, a father of two and grocery shop owner, was shot several times and has already undergone one surgery. A crowdfunding campaign has raised approximately A$500,000 for his recovery.
Ahmed’s parents said he had been drinking coffee near the scene when the attack began. When he heard gunshots and saw a terrorist preparing to reload, he approached from behind and seized the rifle. His father said Ahmed was shot four or five times in the shoulder. “I saw him last night; he said he thanks God he was able to do it, to help the innocent and save people from those monsters, from those murderers,” his mother said.
Sam Issa, Ahmed’s lawyer, said his client does not regret his actions and would do the same again: “He has no remorse for what he did. He said he would do it again. He’s riddled with bullets, our hero is fighting right now.”
The massacre at Bondi Beach
World leaders have praised Ahmed’s courage. U.S. President Donald Trump called him “very, very brave” for saving many lives. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns called Ahmed “a true hero” and said the footage of his disarming of a terrorist was “unbelievable.”
Supporters gathered outside the hospital also expressed unity and solidarity across communities. Veronica and Misha Pochuev, with their daughter Miroslava, said the attack was a human tragedy that crossed all cultural and religious lines. Miroslava held flowers with a note that read: “To Ahmed: for courage and saved lives.”
The tragedy has reignited discussion in Australia about security and Jewish community safety, and many Jewish residents have expressed fear for the future. Jewish Australians who immigrated from South Africa said they are rethinking long‑term plans for life in the country.
Israeli officials have urged Australia to support its Jewish community and take measures to improve security. Critics say the Australian government’s previous stance, including its sharp criticism of Israel and attempts to balance policies on antisemitism with initiatives against Islamophobia, contributed to a lack of focused protection for Jewish institutions.
As communities mourn and light the second candle of Hanukkah, many say the attack has changed Australia irrevocably. Israel has said it stands ready to help the Jewish community as it navigates the aftermath of this unprecedented attack.