Bondi Beach shooting LIVE updates: Islamic State praises alleged Bondi Beach gunmen as ‘source of pride’ – as 15th and final victim of the massacre is identified

The 15th and final victim of the Bondi tragedy has been identified as eastern suburbs woman Tania Tretiak.

It’s understood Ms Tretiak, from Randwick, was attending the Hanukkah by the Sea celebrations where she was fatally shot.

Other victims include Rabbi Yaakov Levitan, 39, French national Dan Elkayam, 27, Wellington Street synagogue assistant Reuven Morrison, Slovak citizen Marika Pogany, 82, retired NSW Police detective sergeant Peter Meagher, 61, Edith Brutman, Boris Gurman, 69, and his wife Sofia, 61, Soviet immigrant Boris Tetleroyd, Adam Smyth, 50, British-born Chabad Rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41,10-year-old Matilda, Alex Kleytman, 87 and Tibor Weitzen, 78.

The hero grocer who disarmed one of the alleged gunmen during the Bondi shooting has been handed a cheque for $2.5million.

During the mass shooting at Bondi Beach on December 14, where two gunmen allegedly opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration killing at least 15 people, Ahmed Al Ahmed, 43, tackled one of the attackers and wrestled away his weapon.

A Syrian-born tobacconist owner, Mr Al Ahmed has been widely praised for his heroism, with Australians raising $2.5million in donations, including $100,000 from US billionaire Bill Ackman.

In a heartwarming video, the hero was presented with the huge cheque in his hospital bed by Canadian content creator Isaac.

‘And I deserve it?’ Mr Al Ahmed asked, to which Isaac responded ‘every penny’.

People on social media praised how humble he was while being presented with the reward.

‘F***.. what a man. What a hero. That guy deserves a statue,’ one person said on X.

‘He deserves every cent, but the heirs of the two Jewish people who tried to stop them and were gunned down also deserve something,’ another added.

A third said: ‘“I deserve (it)?” F***ing dead right buddy, every penny.’

Mr Al Ahmed said in the video that his actions came ‘from the heart’ and were ‘to save lives’.

He also described how wonderful the day had been before the nightmare began.

‘It was a nice day, everyone enjoying, celebrating with the kids… We’re not going to stand and keep watching. Enough is enough. God protect Australia,’ he said.

The Islamic state group has praised the alleged actions of the Bondi Beach shooters.

The terrorist group applauded the father-and-son as ‘lions’ and a ‘source of pride’ in its weekly bulletin Al-Naba on Friday morning, The Herald reported.

However, it stopped short of claiming responsibility for the attack that left 15 dead – including a 10-year-old girl – and over 40 hospitalised.

It also claimed the pair may have been ‘inspired’ by its teachings.

The terrorist group did not claim responsibility for the massacre but said ‘the zealous ones answered the call’.

A terrifying admission, translated by The Australian, praised the gunmen after they ‘implemented the recommendations to target holidays and gatherings’.

ISIS fighters are seen in a recruiting video targeting the Philippines

A group of ISIL fighters are seen standing on a vehicle at an undisclosed location

‘Whether the attackers received its guidance and support or were the result of its incitement and policies … all your heroics, O strangers, will not be surprised by the bloodshed and bloodshed,’ it read.

People attending Lakemba Mosque for prayer today will see armed guards and police patrols after threatening notes were sent to the community.

The extra security is needed as a result of Islamophobia and vitriol after the terrorism attack at Bondi Beach, the Lebanese Muslim Association said.

‘This one seems a bit more real because we’ve received indirect notes of reprisal,” secretary Gamel Kheir told the ABC News.

‘This is not the Australia that we love.’

The association strongly condemned the massacre on Sunday but Mr Kheir said his community is being held responsible for two individuals they have denounced.

He also said threats left him unsure whether practicing his religion is safe.

‘The events were totally shocking,’ he said.

‘This has nothing to do with any form of Islam or any religion that I know, but the sad part of it is the community now somehow seem responsible and answerable for the sins of these lunatics.’

It comes after Masjid Taqwa mosque at Bald Hills in Brisbane’s north was vandalised with a Nazi symbol and received death threats earlier this week.

There were also messages graffitied onto the wall, saying: ‘F*** Allah’ and ‘No Muslims = peace’.

A photo of the vandalism was shared by Labor Member for Sandgate Bisma Asif on Thursday with a statement calling for all Australians to stand together.

‘Overnight, the local Bald Hills Mosque was vandalised with white supremacist symbols and the subject of death threats’, she wrote on Instagram.

‘This on the back of 15 innocent people losing their lives at the hands of extremists in an antisemitic attack on Sunday.

‘Frankly, I’m sick of the constant antisemitic, Islamophobic and racist incidents we’ve had in our community.

‘We must stamp out and say no to division, and use the full force of the law to show there is no room for racism or vilification of any kind.’

The post was shared by Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja, who said: ‘Don’t let the haters divide us.’

There will be more police patrols across Sydney’s eastern suburbs after two gunmen opened fire on a Hanukkah celebration.

NSW Police introduced ‘Operation Shelter’ in late 2023 to reduce antisemitic and other hate crime activity during protests after Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7.

This included patrols at places of worship, transport hubs and crowded places.

‘Following the Bondi Beach terror attack on Sunday, Operation Shelter has been strengthened, with an increase in support and resources,’ a statement said.

The force has undertaken 751 ‘taskings’ – assignments of police resources – since the attack.

This included metropolitan and public order police officers, as well as riot squad, traffic command, bomb disposal, marine rescue and the dog squad.

Operation Shelter Commander, Assistant Commissioner Stephen Hegarty, said the priority of the operation is to ensure the community feels safe and supported.

‘Every Australian, no matter their race or religion, should be able to live without prejudice or discrimination,’ he said.

‘There is no place in New South Wales for hate-related crimes or discrimination of any kind; anyone with intent to incite or cause fear, harm, or commit any criminal offence will be dealt with accordingly.’

Operation Shelter taskings will continue.

Anyone who has been the victim of a hate crime or witnesses a hate crime has been urged to report the matter to police through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or through Triple Zero in an emergency.

Ahmed Al Ahmed, who heroically tackled and disarmed one of the gunmen during the Bondi Beach shooting, has a sweet tattoo of a man walking a dog.

A video published overnight showed the hero grocer receiving a massive cheque for $2.5million after dozens of Aussies donated to fundraisers after the Bondi shooting.

The Syrian-born tobacconist has been in hospital recovering from serious injuries.

But a small detail spotted in the footage hints at Mr Al Ahmed’s golden heart; a tattoo of what appears to be a man walking a dog.

The Albanese government has avoided banning certain phrases, despite rolling out a series of reforms to hate speech laws in the wake of the Bondi Beach shooting.

There have been calls to prohibit the use of ‘globalise the Intifada’ chants in Australia, including from former federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg.

The phrase is a call for people from around the globe to participate in uprisings against Israel.

Un the UK, protesters were prohibited from using the chant earlier this week, with those caught shouting the phrase now facing arrest, according to Greater Manchester and Metropolitan police force.

But Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has avoided confirming whether there would be a similar rule under the latest reforms.

‘We will lower the (hate speech) threshold,‘ he told ABC Radio National this morning.

‘But what I can’t do is play the game of this sentence will be in, this sentence will be out, these words will be in, these words will be out.

‘We will be lowering the threshold to the extent that, constitutionally, we are able to, and it will be the strongest step forward in making hate speech illegal in Australia.‘

The new laws, agreed on by the National Security Committee, will include:

• Introducing aggravated hate speech offence laws for preachers and leaders promoting violence;
• Putting forward higher penalties for hate speech promoting violence;
• Making hate an aggravating factor when sentencing crimes of online threats and harassment;
• Listing organisations whose leaders engage in hate speech, promote violence or racial hatred;
• And developing a federal offence for serious vilification based on race and/or advocating racial supremacy.

Heavily-armed tactical officers have intercepted two cars and arrested a group of men in southwest Sydney as part of a dramatic counter-terrorism operation.

Shocking images show several officers standing over the group, believed to be from Melbourne, at the intersection of George and Campbell streets, in the suburb of Liverpool, about 5pm on Thursday.

It’s understood the group was travelling to Bondi Beach when their vehicle was rammed and stopped by officers from the Counter Terrorism unit and the Public Order and Riot Squad.

‘Tactical Operations police responded to information received that a violent act was possibly being planned,’ NSW Police said in a statement.

‘Police subsequently intercepted two cars as part of the investigation.

‘As investigations continue, seven men are assisting police with their inquiries.’

Police have not identified any connection to the ongoing investigation into the Bondi terror attack. The motive of the men remains unclear.

‘I think we will see as the day plays out, a clearer picture of what was potentially going to occur yesterday,’ NSW Deputy Commissioner Dave Hudson told 2GB on Friday.

‘I can confirm no firearms or weapons were located at a vehicle stop, so I think that supports the decision to go early before any potential weapons could be obtained by this crew.

‘Our threshold or our tolerance for threat and risk is very low at the moment.

‘If we receive information that any type of criminality or violent act is about to be committed, we will act.’

Health Minister Mark Butler praised the efforts of police as ‘extraordinary’.

‘They are extraordinary images,’ Butler told Nine’s Today show on Friday.

‘And they remind us that while we’re all mourning, while the nation’s trying to come to grips with what happened on Sunday night, our policing intelligence authorities are still working day and night to keep our country safe from any further threats of violence and harm.’

Hundreds of surfers have taken to the water at Bondi Beach early this morning for a community ‘paddle out’ in honour of the victims of the massacre.

The event was one of Rabbi Eli Schlanger’s final initiatives that he organised before he was fatally shot during the massacre on Sunday.

It was part of ‘Project Noah’, which was inspired by the Seven Noahide Laws seeking to unite people of all backgrounds around kindness, responsibility, and basic human decency.

But, following the shooting, it became a place to pay tribute.

The crowd gathering in front of the Surf Club in North Bondi at 6.30am to honour the lives lost, pray for those in recovery and thank first responders.

A prayer was read by a rabbi before hundreds ran into the surf.

‘While the attack was directed at the Jewish community, its impact has been felt by all of us – shaking our shared sense of safety, trust, and peace,’ organisers wrote on social media.

Rabbi Yossi Friedman was at the beach for the event.

‘There’s thousands of people here behind me to do a paddle out in peace for the victims and those impacted,’ he said.

‘Here at Bondi, there’s also going to be putting on tefillin right now as well, at the same time on the actual grounds, on the site where it all happened.’

Laying tefillin is a Jewish ritual typically reserved for adult males, which involves wrapping two small black leather boxes, containing Torah scrolls, around the arm and the head.

Rabbi Friedman added that people will be laying flowers at the memorial and sharing stories each hour about the victims to ‘ensure that their memories continue’.

Dozens of people were seen clapping on the shoreline as the surfers formed a massive circled and splashed the water.

A married couple who died side-by-side while trying to stop one of the alleged terrorists at Bondi, days before one of their birthdays, will be laid to rest on Friday.

Boris Gurman, 69, and his wife Sofia, 61, were tragically gunned down when they bravely confronted Sajid Akram, 50, and prevented him from opening fire at a Jewish event on Sunday.

Ms Gurman was due to celebrate her 62nd birthday on Wednesday, with the couple set to celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary in January.

It is understood that the Gurmans are Russian Jews from the Soviet Union, who have lived in Australia for decades.

Viral footage that emerged on Tuesday showed Boris ripping away Sajid’s weapon moments after he and his son Naveed, 24, exited their IS-flagged car.

The couple fought the older shooter for several minutes before he retrieved a second firearm and fatally shot them on the footpath beside the vehicle.

Heartbreaking pictures of the crime scene circulating in the aftermath of the massacre showed Ms Gurman died while lying over her husband.

The couple are seen confronting one of the alleged shooters