Melbourne: Citizens across Australia will ignite candles at 06:47 pm local time (01:17 pm IST) on Sunday to jointly mark the precise instant when initial gunfire erupted one week prior at Sydney’s Bondi Beach during an assault on a Jewish festival, claiming 15 lives.

The Australian federal government, alongside New South Wales authorities, have proclaimed Sunday as a nationwide Day of Reflection, marking one week since the country’s deadliest mass shooting since 35 perished in Tasmania in 1996.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese disclosed plans for an inquiry into the country’s federal law enforcement and intelligence operations in the wake of last week’s incident, which drew inspiration from the Islamic State organisation.

Indigenous figures conducted a customary smoking ritual on Sunday morning at the Bondi Pavilion waterfront, site of an expanding spontaneous memorial adorned with flowers and poignant notes over the past week. Officials plan to dismantle the tribute on Monday.

Rabbi Levi Wolff anticipated crowds numbering in the thousands would assemble at Bondi later Sunday to pay respects to those lost and demonstrate unity with the Jewish population.

“Australians appreciate that this is an attack that wasn’t just against the Jewish people; we’re an easy target, but this is an attack on the Australian values, and they will come here, and they will stand together with us shoulder-to-shoulder as they have over the last week to tell the people in this country that there is no tolerance for hate. Violence has no place in our beautiful country,” Wolff stated at the memorial site.

Governor-General Sam Mostyn, embodying Australia’s head of state King Charles III, participated in an event organised by the National Council of Jewish Women, where women from diverse faiths laid flowers at the memorial on Sunday morning. Scores of women and girls clad in white accompanied her in the symbolic act.

Mostyn labelled the shooting as “unspeakably ghastly acts of terror.”

She supported rabbis’ appeal for millions of mitzvahs—deeds of kindness—to counter the horror.

“This is now a national project: mitzvahs, good deeds, care, kindness, compassion to each other, Jewish or otherwise. Everyone in this country belongs,” Mostyn addressed the assembly.

Exactly one week ago, two armed assailants unleashed shots upon a Hanukkah observance marking the outset of the eight-day Jewish holiday.

Health officials reported that 13 individuals injured in the Bondi attack lingered in Sydney medical facilities on Sunday.

Among them sits presumed shooter Naveed Akram, 24, whom police neutralised by gunfire. Authorities have indicted him on 15 murder counts and 40 charges of intent to murder regarding the survivors.

Police also fatally shot his father, Sajid Akram, 50, on location.

Sunday sees flags at half-mast atop Sydney Harbour Bridge and public edifices, which will glow yellow Sunday evening to signal support for the Jewish community.

Broadcasters on television and radio are also requested to halt for one minute of silence at 6:47 pm.

Rabbi Eli Feldman welcomed the broader Australian public to unite with Jews at Bondi for Hanukkah’s final complete day, concluding at sunset on Monday.

“The Jewish community, together with all of our Australian friends, are all invited to come and light the eighth candle here and show that light will always overcome darkness,” Feldman remarked.

Albanese’s office will scrutinise whether federal law enforcement and intelligence bodies possessed adequate authority, frameworks, procedures, and data-sharing protocols to safeguard citizens.

The examination promises findings by late April 2026, per Albanese’s communiqué.

Australia’s primary internal intelligence service probed Naveed Akram’s contacts in 2016 yet deemed him no risk, per officials’ prior disclosures.

Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, conveyed that victims’ relatives experienced “tragically, unforgivably let down” sensations from governmental lapses in curbing antisemitism’s rise in Australia since the 2023 Israel-Hamas conflict onset.

“I’ve spent time with the families of the victims. They’re just in a bewildered state. They’re still in shock. They don’t know what to do with themselves, let alone contemplate moving forward and healing,” Ryvchin shared.

“There’s a lot of anger in the community now as well. I think we’re cycling through the various emotions, the various stages, and there’s a real feeling of having been let down and betrayed. And the community wants answers, and we want change,” he continued.

With inputs from AP