A recent incident at a border crossing between Jordan and the Israeli-occupied West Bank tragically resulted in the deaths of two Israelis. Israel’s emergency medical service, Magen David Adom, confirmed that an assailant, armed with both a gun and a knife, was responsible for the fatalities.
The attack unfolded at the Allenby Bridge border crossing, a hub where humanitarian aid trucks undergo inspection. The perpetrator, emerging from one such truck, first opened fire and then resorted to stabbing. Israeli security forces swiftly responded, neutralizing the threat by killing the shooter, as reported by a Magen David Adom spokesperson.
According to a military statement, the gunman gained entry across the border within a vehicle transporting humanitarian supplies from Jordan. Following the incident, security forces initiated a thorough search of the area and established a perimeter around the nearby West Bank town of Jericho.
The motivation behind the attack remains unclear, and authorities have not yet determined whether the assailant acted independently or was affiliated with any specific group. While the Palestinian militant group Hamas praised the attack, it did not officially claim responsibility.
This act of violence follows Hamas’s call for three “days of anger” against Israel and the United States, prompted by Israel’s new ground offensive this week in Gaza City. The Israeli operation has caused hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to flee the enclave’s largest urban center.
The Jordanian foreign ministry issued a statement condemning the attack and confirmed an investigation is underway. The statement identified the gunman as a Jordanian national who had commenced work as a driver for Gaza aid deliveries approximately three months prior.
Jordan, a nation with a significant Palestinian population, has become a focal point for intense public anger regarding the conflict in Gaza, leading to widespread protests. As a U.S. ally and one of the few Arab states maintaining a longstanding peace treaty with Israel, Jordan finds itself navigating complex pressures between domestic sentiment and regional diplomatic ties.
Relations between Jordan and Israel have notably worsened since the onset of the Gaza war almost two years ago, which was ignited by a Hamas-led attack on Israel.
The Allenby Bridge crossing, the site of Thursday’s assault, is crucial for both humanitarian and commercial traffic. It serves as the primary international gateway for most Palestinians residing in the West Bank and a vital route for commercial goods traveling between Jordan and the West Bank. Additionally, it has been utilized as a transit point for some aid convoys destined for war-affected Gaza.
While attacks at this crossing are uncommon, a similar incident occurred last year when another Jordanian truck driver opened fire there and killed three Israelis.
Authorities are still investigating how the assailant managed to breach the border carrying weapons during Thursday’s attack.
Bosmat Lubiner, a paramedic and regional commander for Magen David Adom, provided details on the victims, aged 68 and 20. She stated that medics made every effort to save them, but they succumbed to their injuries. Lubiner also mentioned that the exact cause of death—whether from gunshots or stabbings—was not immediately discernible.
In the aftermath of the attack, Israel swiftly closed all its land border crossings, including the one connecting with Egypt at its southernmost tip, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the Israel Airports Authority, which oversees these crossings.
Despite the prevailing tensions stemming from the Gaza war, Jordan has maintained its peace treaty with Israel, continuing cooperation with Israeli officials on security and economic matters. Notably, Jordanian forces played a role in intercepting Iranian missiles and drones during crossfire between Iran and Israel in 2024.
Historically, Israel gained control of the West Bank from Jordan in 1967 during the Arab-Israeli war.
Rawan Sheikh Ahmad contributed to this report.