Mourners grieve 10-year-old killed in Bondi mass shooting as Australian leader pledges new hate laws

Hundreds of mourners gathered in Sydney on Thursday to bid farewell to 10-year-old Matilda, a victim of the antisemitic attack during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach. The funeral drew crowds bearing bright bouquets, united in grief for the young girl who was one of 15 people killed in what authorities have described as a terrorist act inspired by the Islamic State group.

Matilda, whose parents requested her surname be withheld, had been enjoying a petting zoo at the festivities just before the shooting. Her beaming photos have become symbols of Australia’s collective mourning in the wake of one of the worst hate-motivated attacks in the country’s history.

Rabbi Dovid Slavin, attending the service, noted the tragic irony of Matilda’s family history. “They moved away from war-torn Eastern Europe to come here for a good life,” he told The Associated Press. “They did something that a parent is OK to do, take their child to a family event at Bondi beach. If it ended this way, it’s something for collective responsibility for every adult in this country.”

As the funeral proceedings began, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced new legislative measures aimed at curbing radicalization and hate speech in Australia. Speaking from Canberra, he outlined proposals to broaden the definition of hate speech offenses for those who promote violence, strengthen punishments, and designate certain groups as hateful.

The proposed legislation would also grant officials greater powers to reject or cancel visas for individuals who “spread hate and division,” though Albanese acknowledged the legal complexity would prevent immediate implementation.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke explained the necessity for such reforms: “There have been organizations which any Australian would look at and say their behavior, their philosophy and what they are trying to do is about division and has no place in Australia. And yet for a generation, no government has been able to successfully take action against them because they have fallen just below the legal threshold.”

These announcements followed Albanese’s earlier pledge to tighten Australia’s already strict gun control laws, including a potential buyback scheme for banned and illegal firearms. State leaders have similarly promised additional measures on firearms and stricter regulations for protest gatherings.

Notably absent from the funeral services was Albanese himself, with local media reporting he had not been invited despite other political leaders’ attendance. This absence hints at frustration among some Australian Jews toward the current administration.

Addressing this tension, Albanese pointed to his government’s previous actions, including a February ban on Nazi salutes, as evidence of his commitment to combating antisemitism. “I of course acknowledge that more could have been done and I accept my responsibility for the part in that as prime minister of Australia,” he said. “But what I also do is accept my responsibility to lead the nation and unite the nation.”

Meanwhile, investigators continue examining the suspected gunmen’s activities and connections. The two suspects – Naveed Akram, 24, and his father Sajid Akram, 50, who was killed during the attack – had traveled to the Philippines before the shooting. However, Philippine National Security Adviser Eduardo Año stated there was no evidence they received any attack training during their visit to Davao city in November.

Authorities had previously revealed that Naveed Akram was investigated by Australian security services for six months in 2019. Despite this, his father was granted a gun license in 2023, allowing him to legally acquire the weapons used in the massacre.

Naveed Akram remains hospitalized and faces 59 charges, including murder and committing a terrorist act. Fifteen other victims continue receiving treatment in hospitals across Sydney.

As investigations proceed, Sydney’s Jewish community has been attending a succession of funerals. Among the victims was 87-year-old Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman, who died protecting his wife. Other victims included rabbis and a married couple killed while attempting to tackle one of the gunmen.

At Matilda’s funeral, a rabbi read tributes from her school teachers, who described the 10-year-old as “our little ray of sunshine.” Just two days before her death, she had been delighted to win a national literacy prize. “She had an incredible gift to bring joy to those around her,” her school’s tribute noted.

As her coffin was carried out, bumblebee balloons – a reference to her family nickname “Matilda Bee” – bobbed in the afternoon breeze. Mourners received stickers featuring a smiling cartoon bumblebee holding a menorah, with Matilda’s name printed in her favorite color, purple.

Rabbi Slavin expressed a sentiment felt by many: “I don’t want to sound selfish, but I and many others are thinking, this could have been my child.”