Bondi Beach Survivor Eva Geller, 90, Dies; Toll Rises to 16
Eva Geller, a 90-year-old Holocaust survivor who was seriously wounded in the Bondi Beach terror attack almost a year ago, has died in a Sydney hospital, raising the reported death toll from the massacre to 16.
Geller died overnight on Thursday after nearly 11 months of complications from the gunshot wounds she suffered when two gunmen opened fire on a Chanukah celebration at the Sydney beach on 14 December 2025. She had spent months in and out of hospital since the attack, and suffered a stroke while receiving treatment at Prince of Wales Hospital.
New South Wales Police said they were aware of her death and were working with the coroner’s office. Her death has been widely reported as raising the toll to 16, although police have not yet formally confirmed that classification.
A year of hospital visits
Geller, a great-grandmother who survived the Holocaust as a child, was among dozens of people wounded in the attack. According to Australian media, she had been in and out of hospital because of the extensive injuries she suffered, including shrapnel in her leg.
Rabbi Aron Moss of Nefesh Synagogue in Bondi Beach, which Geller attended, said doctors had initially told her she would never walk again. Although she was largely bedridden after the shooting, he said, she retained her positive outlook.
Reports said she was readmitted to hospital recently after an infection, and subsequently suffered a stroke. Australian Associated Press reported that she had a stroke overnight after spending months in and out of Sydney’s Prince of Wales Hospital.
The attack on Bondi Beach
The attack took place on 14 December 2025, when two gunmen opened fire on a crowd gathered for a Chanukah celebration at Archer Park, near Bondi Beach. Fifteen people were killed and around 40 wounded in what was Australia’s deadliest mass shooting in decades.
Police identified the alleged gunmen as Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed Akram, 24, and said the pair were inspired by Islamic State. Sajid Akram was shot dead by police at the scene. His son remains before the courts on terrorism and murder charges.
The attack prompted a national reckoning over antisemitism in Australia. A government-backed inquiry into antisemitism and social cohesion, established after the massacre, is due to issue its final report on 18 December.
A community in mourning
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was saddened by Geller’s death. Tributes flowed from Sydney’s Jewish community, including from Arsen Ostrovsky, an Australian-Israeli human-rights lawyer who survived the attack and mourned her death on Friday.
Geller becomes the eldest victim of the massacre. The previous eldest was fellow Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman, 87. Her funeral is scheduled for Monday at Chevra Kadisha Memorial Hall in Woollahra, according to reports.
Her death comes as the first anniversary of the attack approaches, and as families of the victims continue to press for answers about how the gunmen were able to carry out the shooting. Devdiscourse reported that a total of 15 people were killed in the mass shooting itself, with Geller’s death now taking the toll to 16.
What happens next
New South Wales Police are awaiting further advice from the coroner on Geller’s death, which will determine whether she is formally recorded as the 16th victim of the attack. The Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion is expected to publish its final report next month.
The loss also underscores the long shadow cast by mass shootings, where the toll can keep rising long after the day itself. Violent crime remains a persistent concern in the United States as well, and the week brought fresh reminders of it, including a shooting at a post office in Des Moines.
NationWire will update this story if police or the coroner issue a formal statement on the death toll.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Eva Geller? Eva Geller was a 90-year-old Holocaust survivor and great-grandmother who was shot during the Bondi Beach terror attack on 14 December 2025.
How did she die? She died in a Sydney hospital overnight on Thursday from complications of her gunshot wounds, after months of hospital treatment and a stroke.
What is the death toll from the Bondi Beach attack now? Her death has been reported as raising the toll to 16, from 15 killed on the day. Police are working with the coroner and have not yet formally confirmed the classification.
Who carried out the attack? Police said Sajid Akram and his son Naveed Akram opened fire on a Chanukah celebration at Bondi Beach. Sajid Akram was killed by police; Naveed Akram faces terrorism and murder charges.
