At least 12 people have been killed and 29 others injured after gunmen opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, in what authorities have declared a terrorist attack targeting the Jewish community.

The shooting began early Sunday evening near Archer Park and the Bondi Pavilion, where around 1,000 people had gathered for “Chanukah by the Sea,” a public festival organised by Chabad of Bondi. Witnesses reported hearing rapid gunfire and seeing crowds flee across the beach and into nearby restaurants and shops as police raced to the scene.

New South Wales Police say two men armed with long guns opened fire on families attending the event. One suspected attacker was shot dead by officers at the scene, while a second was critically wounded and taken into custody. Investigators are examining whether a third person was involved in planning or carrying out the assault.

Video verified by news agencies shows an unarmed bystander running toward one of the gunmen, tackling him from behind and wrenching away his rifle before placing it on the ground. Local media have identified the man as 43-year-old fruit shop owner Ahmed al-Ahmed, who was shot and injured during the struggle and is now in hospital. Australian leaders have called him a hero whose actions likely saved many lives.

Bomb squad officers later found suspected improvised explosive devices in a vehicle linked to the suspects near the beach, and a wide exclusion zone remains in place while specialists make the area safe. Authorities have urged people to avoid Bondi Beach as the investigation continues.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns both described the shooting as an “evil antisemitic” terrorist act and one of the worst mass killings in Australia in decades. Australia’s domestic security agency, ASIO, confirmed that at least one of the alleged attackers was previously on its radar but was not assessed as an imminent threat. International leaders, including the UN secretary-general and senior officials from Israel and the United States, have condemned the attack and expressed support for Australia’s Jewish community.

Jewish organisations say the massacre follows a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents in Sydney and across Australia since the Israel–Hamas war in 2023. Community leaders are calling for stronger protection of synagogues, schools and public events, and for a tougher response to hate-motivated offences.

Police have set up a major incident room and are asking anyone with footage or information from the Bondi Beach area around the time of the attack to come forward. The death toll could rise, with several of the wounded, including two police officers and at least one child, still in critical condition.