Day 802 - Heroism amid horror at Hanukkah Bondi terror attack

Dec 16, 2025

David Horovitz, Editor and columnist, discusses the tragic Bondi Beach terror attack that claimed 15 lives, revealing it was inspired by ISIS. He shares details on the gunmen's background and missed warning signs. The Australian Jewish community's feelings of abandonment amid rising antisemitism are profound. Horovitz highlights acts of valiant civilians who intervened during the chaos. He critiques government responses and advocates for long-term education to combat extremism and promote tolerance.

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INSIGHT

ISIS-Inspired Attack And Missed Warnings

Australian officials now believe the Bondi Beach massacre was inspired by Islamic State and involved time spent in the Philippines.
David Horovitz warns investigators saw warning signs including prior questioning and licensed weapons that suggested failures to prevent the attack.

INSIGHT

Jewish Community Feels Abandoned

Many Australian Jews feel abandoned by authorities amid rising antisemitic protests and threats since October 7, 2023.
Horovitz argues this attack is not merely another mass shooting but a targeted assault on a Hanukkah Jewish event with symbolic intent.

ANECDOTE

Citizens Who Confronted The Gunmen

Ahmed Al‑Ahmed, a Muslim shopkeeper, tackled one gunman and was shot but survived and received wide public support.
Boris and Sofia Gurman confronted the attackers after seeing an ISIS‑flagged car and were both shot dead for their bravery.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Editor David Horovitz joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

On Sunday evening, a radicalized father and son targeted the annual “Chanukah by the Sea” event at Sydney’s Bondi Beach and killed at least 15, after firing some 50 shots at the 1,000-strong crowd. Another 38 people were wounded, including two police officers. This morning, Australian officials confirmed they believe it was “a terrorist attack inspired by Islamic State.” Horovitz updates us on this confirmation and other newly uncovered information about the gunmen's plot.

Newly discovered dashcam footage shows one of the increasingly exposed examples of ordinary citizens willing to take on the attackers. Boris and Sofia Gurman confronted the father and son gunmen after the murderous pair parked their ISIS-flag-draped car. Both Gurmans were shot dead. We hear other moving stories of valor.

In the wake of the attack — the second-worst mass shooting in Australia’s history -- Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is pushing for stricter gun control. Yesterday, Albanese rejected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s assertion that his government’s recognition of Palestinian statehood earlier this year “pours fuel” on an “antisemitic fire.”

Horovitz explains how many Australian Jews feel government authorities have not done enough to stamp out hatred of Jews in Australia, which has allowed it to fester in the aftermath of October 7. Among his proposals, spelled out in an op-ed on The Times of Israel, is for a large-scale educational reboot to teach children tolerance alongside reading, writing and arithmetic.

Finally, we turn to the heartbreaking murder of Rob Reiner and his wife Michele. The Reiners’ son, Nick Reiner, was in police custody Monday for what investigators believe was the fatal stabbing of his parents at their Los Angeles home a day earlier, police said. Horovitz shares until-now unpublished pieces from a The Guardian interview with the director-actor dating from February 2024, in which Reiner stated, "Right now the world is shifting away from Israel – and that to me is very sad."

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Aim, fire, kill a Jew, reload… How to turn back the rising tide of murderous inhumanity

Australian officials: Bondi terror attack inspired by ISIS, bombs found in shooters’ car

Australian PM rejects Netanyahu’s linking of Palestine recognition to Bondi attack

Jewish donors help raise $1.3m for the Muslim man who disarmed a Bondi Beach attacker

Daughter of Holocaust survivor shot in attack: Antisemitism ‘allowed to fester’ in Australia

Rob Reiner’s son arrested as suspect in murder of parents at LA home

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves.

IMAGE: Candles burn in front of mourners as they gather at a tribute at the Bondi Pavilion in memory of the victims of a terror attack against Jews during a Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach, in Sydney on December 16, 2025. (SAEED KHAN / AFP)

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