GEOFF BENNETT: Now to the massacre at Hanukkah gathering at Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach.

Fifteen people were killed and one of two gunmen shot dead after a hail of gunfire tore apart celebrations for the first night of the Jewish Festival of Lights.

Australian officials quickly labeled the assault an antisemitic act of terrorism.

Today, shock and grief were matched by anger and urgent questions.

(GUNSHOTS) Eyewitness video captures the moment two armed men opened fire at a Hanukkah gathering on Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach, confusion, panic, the sound of celebration giving way to terror, families running for their lives, a festival of light darkened by violence.

KOBI FARKASH, Eyewitness: And then I heard like a shot, like boom, like three, four, five shots.

I thought probably it's like fireworks.

GEOFF BENNETT: This Israeli tourist visiting Australia was filming the celebration when the gunfire erupted.

KOBI FARKASH: And then, like, I just run and run and run.

I didn't think anything.

And then, when I just stop after I feel like it's a safe place, I stop, and I just -- I was just thinking like, wow, this is -- felt like being -- the same like what happened in the 7 of October in Nova Festival.

People are celebrating, enjoy the moment, enjoy the holiday.

GEOFF BENNETT: That sense of shock and grief hung heavy today as members of Sydney's Jewish community gathered to mark the second night of Hanukkah, a ritual usually centered on joy and continuity carried out this time in grief and mourning.

Today, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called it a horrific act of antisemitism.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, Australian Prime Minister: Tragically, in 2025, we live in a dangerous time.

And these two evil people have engaged in this act of antisemitism driven by ideology.

GEOFF BENNETT: But the attack has also sharpened political tensions.

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized Albanese and his government's decision to recognize a Palestinian state.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, Israeli Prime Minister: On August 17, about four months ago, I sent Prime Minister Albanese of Australia a letter in which I gave him warning that the Australian government's policy was promoting and encouraging antisemitism in Australia.

I wrote: "Your call for a Palestinian state pours fuel on the antisemitic fire."

GEOFF BENNETT: The Australian prime minister rejected that, instead calling for national unity.

QUESTION: Do you accept any link between that recognition and the massacre in Bondi?

ANTHONY ALBANESE: No, I don't, and overwhelmingly most of the world recognizes a two-state solution as being the way forward in the Middle East.

This is a moment of national unity where we need to come together.

And, in particular at this time, we need to wrap our arms around members of the Jewish community who are going through an extraordinarily difficult period.

DONALD TRUMP, President of the United States: That was an antisemitic attack, obviously.

And I just want to pay my respects to everybody.

GEOFF BENNETT: In Washington, President Trump also condemned the attack and highlighted an act of extraordinary bravery.

DONALD TRUMP: A very, very brave person, actually, who went and attacked frontally one of the shooters and saved a lot of lives.

(GUNSHOTS) GEOFF BENNETT: That man, an Australian fruit vendor, Ahmed el Ahmed, charged toward danger, tackling and disarming one of the gunmen.

MOHAMED FATEH AL AHMED, Father of Ahmed el Ahmed (through translator): When he saw these people on the ground covered in blood, his conscience and morals compelled him to attack one of the terrorists.

GEOFF BENNETT: Ahmed was later shot by the second gunman.

He's now recovering in the hospital.

MALAKEH HASAN AL AHMED, Mother of Ahmed el Ahmed (through translator): I'm proud that my son saved lives.

He was hit by bullets in the hand and shoulder, but Allah won't hurt him, as he was doing good.

GEOFF BENNETT: Half-a-world away, in Tel Aviv, a vigil was held for the victim, candles lit, prayers whispered and grief shared.

The impact is deeply personal.

Nir Golan is visiting Tel Aviv, but is from Bondi Beach.

NIR GOLAN, Bondi Beach Resident: This is our community.

This is our school.

This is our synagogue.

This is our backyard.

This is a tragedy, and we are still processing what has happened.

GEOFF BENNETT: Golan says the attack has shaken his faith in Australia's ability to protect Jewish citizens.

NIR GOLAN: I have told every person I have been here that Australia is no longer safe for Jewish people.

So this is not unexpected.

The government has done nothing to protect us, and unfortunately this is a situation we're in.

It is tragic.

My heart goes out to everyone back home.

GEOFF BENNETT: Australian couple Harry and Tammy Graeve were in Israel working as volunteers with a nonprofit group when they learned what had happened back home.

TAMMY GRAEVE, Australian Volunteer: We come here to help this country.

We go home.

What do we do to help our country?

What can we do?

HARRY GRAEVE, Australian Volunteer: It was a huge shock, and the world seems to have just turned upside down.

GEOFF BENNETT: Harry Graeve says this is a turning point for the Jewish community in Australia, but that they have to go on.

HARRY GRAEVE: We have to continue to have our Hanukkah events.

Christians have to continue having their Christmas events.

Otherwise, the bad guys win.

We cannot let that happen.

GEOFF BENNETT: A community shaken, but determined to remain visible, to choose light even in the darkest moments.