A man who survived the October 7 Hamas attacks in Israel is among those injured in the deadly shooting at a Jewish religious event at Sydney’s Bondi Beach in Australia. The man, whose identity has not been revealed, had moved to Australia just two weeks ago. Speaking to local media, he said he never imagined he would witness such violence again, especially in Australia.
With his face bloodied and wrapped in a bandage, the man described the shooting as a “bloodbath” and an “absolute massacre”.
He said he was attending a Hanukkah celebration with his family when chaos suddenly broke out. “There were hundreds of people, children, elderly, families enjoying themselves,” he said. “Then all of a sudden there was gunfire everywhere.”
He recalled that children were playing when shots were fired and people began ducking for cover. “We didn’t know where the gunfire was coming from. It was absolute chaos,” he said. During the attack, his only concern was the safety of his wife and children, who managed to escape unharmed.
The man said he had lived in Israel for 13 years and survived the October 7 attacks there. He said he moved to Australia to work with the Jewish community and help fight antisemitism.
“October 7 was the last time I saw something like this. I never thought I would see it again, especially not in Australia, and not at Bondi Beach,” he said.
He claimed he saw at least one gunman firing randomly in all directions. “I saw children fall to the floor, the elderly, people who couldn’t run. It was horrifying,” he added.
Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
