Two gunmen, reportedly father and son, opened fire on revelers celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, on Bondi Beach, Sunday evening.

President Alar Karis wrote on his social media account that the events had been "deeply distressing. We extend our support and sympathy to those affected, their families, and the Jewish community both in Australia and internationally."

The violent events in Sydney during Hanukkah are deeply distressing. We extend our support and sympathy to those affected, their families, and the Jewish community both in Australia and internationally.

— Alar Karis (@AlarKaris) December 14, 2025

Minister of Foreign Affairs Margus Tsahkna offered his "deepest condolences to Australia following the shocking shooting in Bondi. Our thoughts are with the victims, the injured, and their families. We stand in solidarity with all affected as authorities respond and seek clarity on the events."

My deepest condolences to Australia following the shocking shooting in Bondi.

Our thoughts are with the victims, the injured, and their families.

We stand in solidarity with all affected as authorities respond and seek clarity on the events.

— Margus Tsahkna (@Tsahkna) December 14, 2025

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs itself tweeted: "As we mark the Festival of Lights, our hearts are heavy following the ghastly terrorist attack at Bondi Beach, Australia, where people gathering peacefully to celebrate the first day of Hanukkah were targeted. We mourn the innocent lives lost and stand in solidarity with their their families and the Jewish community. On behalf of the people of Estonia, we extend our deepest condolences."

As we mark the Festival of Lights, our hearts are heavy following the ghastly terrorist attack at Bondi Beach, Australia, where people gathering peacefully to celebrate the first day of Hanukkah were targeted.

We mourn the innocent lives lost and stand in solidarity with their… pic.twitter.com/z7FaGheZlQ

— Estonian MFA | #StandWithUkraine (@MFAestonia) December 14, 2025

The Jewish Community of Estonia noted it was "profoundly disturbed and heartbroken by reports of a shooting incident near Bondi Beach in Sydney today, where members of the community had gathered to mark the first night of Hanukkah. We stand together in opposition to all expressions of violence and hatred and extend our support and compassion to those affected and their loved ones."

Background:

At around 6:47 p.m. local time (9:47 a.m. Estonian time) on Sunday, New South Wales Police received reports that a number of shots had been fired at Archer Park, in Sydney's famous Bondi Beach area, the BBC reported. Shortly afterwards police urged the public to avoid the area or to take shelter if already there, as verified video footages showed "hundreds" of people fleeing amid gunfire.

The attack targeted a Hanukkah celebration on the beach, police say, and at the time of writing 15 people, including a 10 year old girl, had been killed in the shooting, conducted by two gunmen.

Many more people were seriously or critically injured, authorities said, among them two police officers.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the attack "an act of antisemitism."

The two gunmen were reportedly father and son, with the 50-year-old father dead after being shot by police; the 24-year-old, who authorities had been aware of for several years, is in a critical condition in hospital.

Albanese has vowed to strengthen the country's gun laws following the attack, the deadliest in Australia since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania, when a lone gunman killed 35.

Hanukkah falls late on every year and commemorates the Maccabean Revolt against the Greek-speaking Seleucid Empire, which took place in the second century B.C.

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