‘Celebrate proudly,’ says Trump after deadly Hanukkah attack at Australia’s Bondi Beach

WaSHINGTON,DC: US President Donald Trump has stated that people celebrating Hanukkah should not be worried about their safety and should “celebrate proudly,” following a shooting that targeted the Jewish community at Australia’s Bondi Beach and killed at least 11 people, CNN reported.

Speaking after a phone conversation with the US President, a Fox News correspondent relayed Trump’s message to Americans observing Hanukkah.

“Straight from the president, his message to people celebrating Hanukkah today, he said, ‘they do not need to be worried. They should celebrate proudly, and they should be proud of who you are, celebrate proudly,'” the correspondent stated.

The remarks came amid heightened security concerns in Australia, where the National Terrorism Threat Level is currently set at “probable,” according to the Australian government. This level, which sits in the middle of five tiers, indicates that there is a more than 50 per cent chance of a terrorist attack being planned or taking place in the country within the next twelve months, the New South Wales Police Force notes on its website, CNN reported.

Australia’s National Security agency has said that the country’s security environment “has entered a vulnerable period and is being challenged by new threats with concerning trajectories.” It has warned that attacks are likely to be low-cost, use readily available weapons and simple tactics, and most commonly occur in crowded places in major cities, often carried out by a lone actor or a small group.

At least 11 people were killed and 29 others injured when gunfire erupted during a Hanukkah event at Sydney’s popular Bondi Beach, police confirmed.

Authorities stated that more than 1,000 people were attending the celebration when the shooting occurred and that the attack was “designed to target Sydney’s Jewish community,” according to CNN.

Of the two suspected attackers, one was shot dead at the scene, while the other remains in custody in critical condition. Police have not yet released details about the identities of the suspects and stated that investigations are ongoing, including whether there may have been a third perpetrator.

Among those killed was one Israeli citizen, according to Israel’s foreign ministry. Another Israeli national was wounded and is receiving treatment at a hospital in Sydney, the ministry added, CNN reported.

The shooting was declared a terrorist incident several hours after it occurred. Police stated that the timing of the attack on the first day of Hanukkah, along with other circumstances including the weapons involved, led to that determination.

Reacting to the attack, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X that he “strongly condemns” the fatal shooting. “Antisemitism has no place in this world. Our prayers are with the victims of this horrific attack, the Jewish community, and the people of Australia,” Rubio wrote.

The US Embassy in Australia also posted on X that it was “heartbroken” by the news and offered its “sincerest condolences to the families of the victims of this senseless act that targeted the Jewish community on the first night of Hanukkah.”

The embassy advised US citizens in Australia to avoid the Bondi Beach area, follow local authorities’ guidance and inform loved ones of their status, CNN reported.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that the country would never submit to “division, violence or hatred,” telling the Jewish community: “Your fellow Australians stand with you tonight in condemning this act of terror.”

He added that the attack was aimed at creating fear but stressed that Australians would stand together in response.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns described the shooting as a deliberate attack on Sydney’s Jewish community, noting that what should have been a “night of peace and joy” was “shattered by this horrifying, evil attack.”

Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon stated that authorities were focused on ensuring the safety of the entire community and urged calm as a “significant” investigation continues.

Israeli leaders reacted with shock and anger. President Isaac Herzog stated that Jews in Sydney were “attacked by vile terrorists” while celebrating Hanukkah and accused the Australian government of failing to curb rising antisemitism.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar wrote that the attack was “the result of the antisemitic rampage in the streets of Australia over the past two years,” while Minister of the Diaspora Amichai Chikli described it as the most severe attack ever carried out against the Jewish community in the country, CNN reported.

Leaders around the world also condemned the shooting and expressed solidarity with Australia. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon wrote that his country was “shocked by the distressing scenes at Bondi,” while UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the attack as “deeply distressing.”

French President Emmanuel Macron wrote that an “antisemitic terrorist attack struck families gathered to celebrate Hanukkah,” and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that Europe “stands with Australia and Jewish communities everywhere.”

The Jewish Council of Australia stated that the community had been left “horrified and shaken” by the attack, calling it a “horrific act of antisemitic violence during the Jewish festival of light and hope.”

“In moments like this, we hold each other close,” the council stated in a statement.

Australia has rarely experienced mass shootings since strict gun laws were introduced in 1996 following the Port Arthur massacre. According to the Australian Institute of Criminology, 31 homicides by firearm were recorded in 2023-24, the most recent figures available. (ANI)