• Funerals commence for victims of the Bondi Beach shooting, with emotional services held for the 15 killed.
• Naveed Akram, the surviving gunman, has been charged with 15 counts of murder and terrorism-related offenses.
• Political pressure mounts on the Australian government regarding antisemitism and gun control reforms.

Funerals began in Sydney for victims of the Bondi Beach shooting, which claimed the lives of 15 people during a Jewish Hanukkah celebration, intensifying fears of antisemitism and violent extremism nationwide. The first funeral was held for Rabbi Eli Schlanger, known for his community work, as mourners gathered to pay their respects under heavy police presence to ensure safety amidst rising tensions in the community, according to Reuters and Channel News Asia.

Naveed Akram, the 24-year-old survivor of the father-son duo responsible for the attack, has woken from a coma and is facing 59 charges, including 15 counts of murder, as investigations suggest ties to the Islamic State. Authorities reported his father, Sajid Akram, was killed in a police shootout at the scene of the attack, which was characterized as inspired by ideological extremism aimed at the Jewish community, according to South China Morning Post, BBC, and ABC News.

As hundreds gathered for the funerals, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese faced escalating criticism for his government's handling of rising antisemitism and the broader implications of gun control laws. Recent calls for stricter regulations emphasize concerns over why Sajid Akram was permitted to acquire high-powered firearms used in the attack, amid accusations that the government failed to recognize potential threats from suspects like Naveed Akram, who had previously caught the attention of intelligence services, according to Al Jazeera, The Jakarta Post, and India Times.

Health authorities reported that over 20 individuals remain hospitalized with injuries from the mass shooting, while efforts continue to analyze the socio-political landscape regarding the safety of Jewish communities during public events. The attack, described as Australia's deadliest mass shooting in 30 years, has prompted renewed reflections on community safety and responses to hate-fueled violence, according to NPR and Le Monde.