A 10-year-old girl and an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor were among the 15 victims killed after gunfire ripped through a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach, turning the festive gathering into a bloodbath.<\/p>\n
Two gunmen opened fire during the popular event, killing 16 people, including one of the shooters, and injuring 42 in an attack that authorities are calling a deliberate act of antisemitic terrorism.<\/p>\n
The ages of the victims range from a young child to an elderly Holocaust survivor in his late 80s.<\/p>\n
While official identification of all those killed has not yet been released, authorities say the attack was unprecedented in its brutality and targeted nature.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we saw yesterday was an act of pure evil, an act of antisemitism, an act of terrorism on our shores in an iconic Australian location, Bondi Beach, that is associated with joy, associated with families gathering, associated with celebrations,\u201d Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, according to the Associated Press (AP).<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is forever tarnished by what has occurred.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018Bloodbath\u2019
\nWitnesses to the attack described scenes of chaos and horror as children screamed, families scattered across the sand, and the sound of gunfire echoed between buildings and surf. What had moments earlier been a vibrant festival \u2013 complete with menorah lighting, music, food, face painting and a petting zoo \u2013 was reduced in seconds to a scene of carnage, grief, and disbelief.<\/p>\n
One of the attendees, human rights lawyer Arsen Ostrovsky, was grazed in the head by a bullet. He had recently moved from Israel to Sydney with his family to work for a Jewish advocacy group.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat I saw today was pure evil, just an absolute bloodbath. Bodies strewn everywhere,\u201d Ostrovsky told AP. \u201cI never thought would be possible here in Australia.\u201d<\/p>\n
Child killed
\nAmong the youngest victims of the massacre was 10-year-old Matilda, who was taken to Sydney children\u2019s hospital, where she died that evening, the Guardian reports.
\n