December 14, 2025: Terror Attack Targets Jews in Sydney; Israel Kills Hamas Commander in Gaza; Israel Approves 19 Settlements in West Bank

This week ended with a shocking terrorist attack targeting Sydney’s Jewish community, as two gunmen fatally shot fifteen people and wounded dozens of others celebrating the first day of Hanukkah on Bondi Beach. Israeli and Australian authorities are currently investigating potential Iranian involvement in the attack. In Gaza, Israel killed a top Hamas commander, posing another test to the Trump-mediated ceasefire, one that has endured ongoing Israeli strikes since it was agreed to by Israel and Hamas in October. Meanwhile, the Israeli government announced a large expansion of settlements in the West Bank.

On Sunday morning, two gunmen — a father and son — killed fifteen people and hospitalized forty others as hundreds gathered on Bondi Beach to celebrate the first day of Hanukkah. Australian and Israeli authorities are investigating if Iran was involved in the attack. A month ago, the Mossad reportedly notified Australian intelligence of Iranian-backed “terror infrastructure” in the country coordinating attacks on Jewish Australians. In August, Australia accused Iran of backing two 2024 arson attacks against a synagogue and a kosher restaurant. Iranian involvement in the most recent attack on Bondi Beach has not been confirmed, however.

Meanwhile, Israel continues to launch strikes on various targets in Gaza, resulting in hundreds of Palestinian deaths since the ceasefire officially began in October. Since then, the ceasefire has been defined by a state of fragility. On Saturday, Israel said that it killed Raed Saed, a top Hamas commander in Gaza. Israel said in a statement that the strike was in response to “the activation of a Hamas explosive device that wounded our forces,” referring to the detonation of a device that injured two IDF soldiers operating in southern Gaza. According to Israel, Saed was one of the architects of the Hamas-led terrorist attack in October 2023. Hamas has described Saed as the second-in-command of the group’s armed wing. The attack is one of many tests endured by the ceasefire in recent weeks.

In other news, on Thursday, the Israeli government approved the legalization and establishment of 19 settler outposts in the West Bank in a major expansion of settlements. Outposts are illegal under both Israeli law and international law. International law considers all settlements in the West Bank illegal, as they constitute an obstruction of the contiguity of a future Palestinian state. Settler violence has engulfed the West Bank in recent months, as Palestinians and their property have come under an increasing number of attacks by settlers.

Overall, except for a shocking terror attack in Sydney, this week was a continuation of the violence occurring in Gaza and settler expansion in the West Bank. However, the ceasefire in Gaza still holds.