Featured Image Credit: (ABC News)
Topics: Australia, Crime, World News, News
Brenna Cooper
The youngest victim of the terror attack on Sydney's Bondi Beach has been identified.
Yesterday (14 December), two gunmen opened fire on families who'd gathered to mark the beginning of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah at Sydney's famous Bondi Beach.
The incident has since confirmed to be a terrorist attack, with the alleged gunmen - who've been named as 50-year-old Sajid Akram and his 24-year-old son Naveed Akram - both arrested (per BBC).
Estimates on the death toll vary - with reports saying that 15 or 16 people have been confirmed deceased - while around 40 people are understood to have been injured, with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese calling the events a 'dark day in Australia's history'.
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Several victims have since been identified, with the youngest confirmed to be a 10-year-old girl named Matilda.
Matilda's death was confirmed by her aunt Lina in a social media post. "A great tragedy has happened to my family," she wrote. "My beloved niece Matilda was killed during a terrorist attack in Bondi beach. I don’t know how we survive such grief."
It's understood the youngster was taken to Sydney children’s hospital after the attack, where she later died.
Lina has also spoken to ABC News on behalf of the grieving family, saying Matilda was 'just a happy kid'.
"Matilda was very friendly, she loves school, and has a lot of friends," Lina said, adding that Matilda's six-year-old sister is in a state of 'shock and stress'.
She has asked for the family's surnames not to be published.
Further victims include Alexander Kleytman, a Holocaust survivor, whose death was confirmed by his wife Larisa and London-born Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who was involved in organising the event.
Also identified were grandfather Tibor Weitzen, with local media reporting that he died attempting to shield a family friend from gunfire and Reuven Morrison, who'd immigrated to Australia from the former Soviet Union.
Meanwhile, former policeman and rugby club volunteer Peter Meagher, who'd been working as a photographer for the Hanukkah By the Sea, was killed.
French national Dan Elkayam is also confirmed to be among the deceased, with his death confirmed by foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, while one unnamed Israeli citizen was also killed.
Of the injured, Guardian Australia reports that 27 people remain in hospital, five of which are in a critical condition.
Those injured includes father-of-two Ahmed Al Ahmed, the man filmed bravely wrestling one of the gunmen, who is being treated for gunshot wounds to the arm and shoulder.