A terrorist attack occurred at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on December 14, resulting in 16 deaths. The incident took place during a Hanukkah celebration when multiple shooters opened fire on attendees.
Police reported that one shooter was killed, another received medical attention, and the third surrendered to authorities. Over 1,000 individuals were present at the beach at the time of the attack.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that among the victims are Russian citizens residing permanently in Australia. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced plans to tighten firearm trafficking laws.
According to an Australian Institute report published in September, over 44,600 registered firearms have been stolen in Australia over the past two decades—equivalent to one weapon every four hours. The report states that such thefts are now the primary source of illegal arms in the country, with police recovering only about a quarter of stolen weapons.
With an estimated 200,000 illegal firearms circulating nationally, Australia faces significant challenges addressing its gun crisis.
