By Adelaide Lang and Sam McKeith

A 10-year-old girl, Jewish community leaders and a former police officer are among 15 people killed in a mass shooting that targeted a Hanukkah festival at Bondi Beach.

Another 42 were injured in the Sunday evening attack carried out by Naveed Akram, 24, and his 50-year-old father Sajid Akram.

It’s the nation’s deadliest shooting since the Port Arthur massacre in 1996.

The youngest victim, 10-year-old Matilda, has been remembered as a bright and spirited girl who brought light to everyone around her.

“Matilda was like, full of life, happy kid, and just a normal 10-year-old girl,” her aunt Lina said.

She had had her face painted and was enjoying the day with her family when the gunmen opened fire.

Matilda was rushed to hospital but died overnight, leaving her family devastated.

“I don’t know how we survive such grief,” Lina said.

One of the first victims identified was assistant rabbi Eli Schlanger from Chabad of Bondi, a key figure in organising the Chanukah by the Sea event targeted by the shooters.

“For 18 years, since his marriage to wife Chaya, he has served as a rabbi and chaplain in the Bondi community,” Chabad said in a statement posted to social media.

Rabbi Schlanger was a tireless advocate for the Jewish community and urged followers to “be more Jewish” in the face of anti-Semitism.

Holocaust survivor Alex Kleytman, rabbi Yaakov Levitan and businessman Reuven Morrison were also fatally wounded in the attack.

The death of French national Dan Elkayam was confirmed by French president Emmanuel Macron, who expressed his profound sadness.

Mr Elkayam worked in IT and was a keen football player with Rockdale Ilinden Football Club.

“He will be missed,” the club wrote on social media.

Retired police detective Peter Meagher was also among the victims of the terror attack, struck down while working as a freelance photographer at the ill-fated Hanukkah event.

He was lauded by his rugby club Randwick as a heart-and-soul figure.

“For much of the last decade, Marzo has been our trusted first-grade manager and this news has already hit our players, coaches, managers, volunteers and supporters extremely hard,” general manager Mark Harrison said.

Some 27 victims remained in hospital on Monday afternoon, including 12 in a critical condition.

The federal government would provide support for victims’ funerals and any visitor visas for relatives wishing to visit Australia for those funerals, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

State financial support will also be offered through the Victims Support Scheme, while trained disaster mental health support clinicians will be on the ground at Bondi in coming days to help the wider community manage trauma.

Gunman Naveed Akram was critically injured and placed under guard in hospital, with his father killed in a shootout with police at the scene.

Lifeline 131114, beyondblue 1300 224636