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Eva Geller, a 90-year-old Holocaust survivor injured in the deadly Bondi Beach shooting last December, has died in a Sydney hospital. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry director Evan Zlatkis confirmed her death on Thursday night, as reported by the Associated Press. Geller was born in Romania and had lived through extraordinary hardship throughout her long life.
The Bondi Beach Attack
Geller was among approximately 40 people wounded when two gunmen opened fire on a crowd gathered at a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach on December 14. Fifteen people died in the attack. The victims included a 10-year-old girl, two rabbis, a married couple who died trying to stop one of the gunmen, an 82-year-old community volunteer, an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor who died shielding his wife, and a retired police detective.
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One of the gunmen, Sajid Akram, died after police shot him at the scene. His son, Naveed Akram, 25, faces 15 counts of murder, 43 counts of attempted murder, and one count of committing a terrorist act. He has not yet entered a plea and is scheduled to appear in court on February 24, when prosecutors are expected to finalize the charges. He will stand trial in the New South Wales Supreme Court.
Eva Geller’s Final Months
Rabbi Aron Moss told the Associated Press that Geller had been in relatively good health before the attack. However, a bullet wound to her leg led to repeated hospitalizations in recent weeks due to surgical complications. Speaking on behalf of her family, Moss described her as “a proud mother, grandmother and great-grandmother” and “a beautiful, positive person.”
Doctors told Geller she would never walk again. Despite that prognosis, she recovered enough to walk with a cane. “Through sheer determination, she got back up and she did walk again,” Moss said.
Political Reaction
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns called the news of her death “heartbreaking.” He added that the community continues to feel the consequences of the attack. “Almost a year on, we are still living with the pain and aftershock of that evil act. We will never forget Eva or any victim whose life was changed forever,” Minns said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also responded, saying families across Australia still feel the impact of the shooting. “Eva should have been able to celebrate Chanukah in peace and safety and instead, her life was changed forever by an act of terror and antisemitism,” he said in a statement.
Meanwhile, New South Wales Police are investigating whether Geller’s death will affect the charges against Naveed Akram. Authorities told the Associated Press they are currently awaiting advice from the state coroner before making any decisions about the case.
