Exclusive to The Beiruter: Latest developments on the Sydney terror attack

A mass shooting during a public Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach has left at least 16 people dead and dozens injured in what authorities have declared a targeted terrorist attack against the Jewish community.

The violence erupted shortly after 6:45pm on Sunday during “Chanukah by the Sea,” a public event organised by Chabad of Bondi to mark the first night of Hanukkah. Hundreds of families, children, and visitors had gathered near the Bondi Park playground when gunmen opened fire, triggering scenes of panic as crowds fled and emergency services rushed to the foreshore. Police have identified the alleged attackers as father and son Sajid Akram, 50, and Naveed Akram, 24. The pair are accused of opening fire on a Jewish gathering of approximately 1,000 people. Sajid was shot dead by police at the scene, while Naveed was critically injured and remains in hospital under police guard.

Investigators later discovered an Islamic State-linked flag inside a small silver car used by the alleged attackers to travel to the site. Authorities said the find was central to the rapid declaration of the incident as a terrorist attack. Counter-terrorism officials revealed that the father and son had spent a month in the Philippines, one of the world’s most entrenched extremist hotspots, in the lead-up to the attack. The pair reportedly travelled together without other family members, following a pathway long associated with extremist activity, before returning to Australia just weeks prior to the shooting.

Senior police sources told The Beiruter that one of the men had previously been assessed as posing a “low level” threat, while another source said the individual was “quite well known” for his “Islamic fundamentalist” views. Counter-terrorism units are now conducting checks on the homes of known associates as part of Operation Arques.

As authorities formally identified victims, the scale of the human toll became clearer. Ten-year-old Matilda was the youngest victim of the attack. Those killed include Rabbi Eli Schlanger, a father of five from Chabad of Bondi; Rabbi Yaakov Levitan; French national Dan Elkayam, in his 20s; Ukrainian-Australian grandfather Alex Kleytman; businessman Reuven Morrison; former police officer and photographer Peter Meagher; grandfather Tibor Weitzen, who was shot while shielding his wife; and grandmother and community volunteer Marika Pogany.

Mr Weitzen later died in hospital from his injuries, while Mr Kleytman was killed while attending the celebration with his wife, Larisa, to whom he had been married for 50 years. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed Mr Elkayam’s death, vowing France would “spare no effort to root out antisemitism.” Two police officers responding to the attack were also shot. As of Monday, 27 people remained in hospital, including 12 in critical condition. The investigation has raised renewed questions about intelligence and security oversight. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed Naveed Akram had come to the attention of Australia’s domestic intelligence agency, ASIO, in October 2019.

Sajid Akram arrived in Australia on a student visa in 1998, later transitioning to a partner visa and then a resident return visa. Naveed, born in Australia in 2001, is an Australian citizen. The national terrorist threat level remains at “probable,” reflecting assessments that further attacks cannot be ruled out.

The Bondi Beach massacre is the deadliest mass shooting in Australia since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, a turning point that reshaped the nation’s gun laws and public safety framework. Pressure is now mounting on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to act decisively on antisemitism. Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, Jillian Segal, described the attack as a “terrible wake-up call,” warning that words alone were no longer sufficient. “Anthony Albanese needs to commit to strong action, not just words,” Ms Segal said, adding that the government’s response to her Plan to Combat Antisemitism, handed down in May, had been too slow for the gravity of the situation. Opposition Leader Sussan Ley echoed the criticism, saying delays had allowed hatred against Jewish communities to “fester.” Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin said repeated warnings had gone unheeded.

“We have to be concerned if we think these are just two individuals,” Mr Ryvchin said.

People are dead, body bags are on the beach, lives have been destroyed.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said the attack had exposed the need to further tighten gun laws. “It means introducing legislation to make it more difficult to access weapons that have no practical use in our community,” he said. Amid the chaos, an act of extraordinary bravery likely prevented an even greater loss of life. Syrian-born Australian Ahmed Al Ahmed, 43, tackled and disarmed one of the gunmen after praying for strength. Video footage showed him running up behind Sajid Akram and wrestling a rifle from his hands. Mr Ahmed, who moved to Australia about a decade ago after fleeing war in Syria, was shot twice during the attack and underwent surgery on Monday. Premier Minns later visited him in hospital, describing him as a “real-life hero.” “There is no doubt that more lives would have been lost if not for Ahmed’s selfless courage,” Mr Minns said.

A GoFundMe campaign established in his honour raised nearly $1 million within 17 hours. Speaking outside the hospital, Mr Ahmed’s cousin Mostafa said his actions were driven by faith. “He prayed to God and said, ‘Give me strength,’” Mostafa said. “He doesn’t believe in killing. He couldn’t take what he was seeing and knew it was time to stop it.”

As investigators continue to unravel how the attack occurred, community leaders warn the Bondi Beach massacre will leave lasting scars, reshaping Australia’s approach to antisemitism, national security, and public safety for generations.