Sydney Tragedy: Holocaust Survivor Dies at 90 After Surviving Bondi Hanukkah Attack

POLICY WIRE — Sydney, Australia — A 90-year-old survivor of the Holocaust has passed away in a Sydney hospital, nearly a year after sustaining life-threatening injuries during a deadly shooting at a Hanukkah celebration.

Evan Zlatkis, the director of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, confirmed that the Romanian-born Eva Geller died on Thursday night. Geller was among the approximately 40 individuals injured when two gunmen, allegedly motivated by the Islamic State group, opened fire on a crowd at Bondi Beach on December 14.

The attack resulted in the deaths of 15 people ranging in age from 10 to 87. One of the attackers, Sajid Akram, was killed by police officers at the scene of the violence.

Rabbi Aron Moss noted that Geller was in good health and possessed great strength right up until the assault at Bondi. Since the incident, she had required admission to the hospital multiple times in recent weeks to manage complications arising from surgical procedures.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Moss described Geller as a proud mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who maintained a positive outlook despite the grueling recovery process. He revealed that although doctors initially informed her she would never walk again after the shooting, Geller used immense determination to stand up and begin walking again, utilizing a cane to assist with her leg injury.

The surviving suspect, 25-year-old Naveed Akram—the son of the deceased gunman—currently faces 15 counts of murder, 43 counts of attempted murder, and a single terrorist act charge. He has not yet entered a plea to these charges. It remains uncertain if Geller’s passing will result in additional legal charges against him.

Law enforcement stated they are waiting for a report from the state coroner to investigate the specific circumstances surrounding her death. Akram is expected to return to court on February 24, when prosecutors intend to finalize the list of charges for a New South Wales state Supreme Court trial.

State Premier Chris Minns expressed his grief, describing the news as heartbreaking given everything Geller had endured. Minns remarked that the community is still grappling with the aftershock of that ‘evil act’ nearly a year later and vowed that the memory of Geller and the victims would never be forgotten.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged the ongoing pain felt by families following the Bondi attack. He stated that Geller should have been able to celebrate Hanukah in safety rather than having her life permanently altered by terror and antisemitism.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)