A teenage girl has been lauded as a “true heroine” for shielding two children with her own injured body during a father-son duo’s deadly rampage at Bondi Beach.
The 14-year-old was at the Chanukah by the Sea event on Sunday when alleged gunmen Sajid Akram, 50, and Naveen Akram, 24, opened fire on the crowd. Sixteen people, including Sajid, died as a result of the attack, while 22 victims remain in hospital, nine of whom are in a critical condition.
The teenager, who was struck by a bullet, “lay down over two young children whose mothers were murdered in the attack, thereby saving their lives”, a social media post by former IDF soldier Eli Afriat claimed, alongside a photo of the girl in hospital.
“A true heroine,” he added on X, where the post swiftly garnered thousands of likes.
The post drew a similar reaction on Facebook, where it was shared by the Hertfordshire Friends of Israel page, generating hundreds of comments.
“This younger generation is made of special stuff – time and time again, they amaze us with their selfless acts of heroism,” one woman wrote.
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“A trauma no one should ever have to endure, let alone a child. She is a heroine through and through,” another commented.
“Bless her. Brave little girl. Hope she recovers physically and mentally. She deserves nothing but good in her life,” a third said.
The acts of civilian bravery and courage during and in the aftermath of the horrific attack have been lauded by fellow Australians, but also around the world.
On Tuesday, Sydney rabbi Yossi Friedman began the third night of Hanukkah in Bondi, where he told a gathered vigil that the community would not “allow the darkness of evil to extinguish the light” that comes from everyone who stands “with good citizens of the world and with the Jewish people and with the land of Israel”.
“We pray for those who are in hospital recovering from horrific injuries that they have incurred for no other reason than the fact that they were trying to celebrate the religion in a country which is supposed to be tolerant,” he said.
“We thank all of those of the Jewish faith that are here today, but I would like to also give thanks to the hundreds of thousands of Australians of all faiths that have stood up and have stood in solidarity with our people.
“Each and every one of you matters. Each and every one of you will make this country the country that it’s meant to be.”
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