Attack at Allenby crossing kills two Israeli military personnel
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Two Israeli military personnel were killed on Thursday in an attack at the Allenby (King Hussein) Bridge crossing between Jordan and the occupied West Bank, according to Israeli and Jordanian officials. The assailant, driving a truck carrying humanitarian aid from Jordan to Gaza, opened fire before being shot dead by security forces.
The victims have been identified as Lt. Col. (res.) Yitzhak Harosh, 68, a reservist, and Sgt. Oran Hershko, 20, a liaison officer based in Tel Mond. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) reported that after the attacker’s firearm jammed, he used a knife to stab the soldiers, until security forces returned fire and “neutralized” him.
The Jordanian Foreign Ministry named the assailant as Abdulmutalib al-Qaisi, born in 1968, a civilian who had begun working as a driver delivering aid to Gaza roughly three months ago. Israel described the incident as a militant attack.
The Allenby Bridge crossing is a key entry‐exit point between Jordan and the West Bank, serving Palestinians, humanitarian operations, and trade. Its control during inspection is under Israeli authority, which has made it a sensitive point in regional security.
The attack comes against the background of ongoing tensions tied to the war in Gaza and previous security incidents at or near crossings. In September 2024, a Jordanian truck driver killed three Israeli border personnel at the same Allenby Crossing in a shooting attack.
Immediately after the shooting, Israeli forces carried out searches in the surrounding area and temporarily encircled the nearby West Bank town of Jericho. The Allenby Crossing was closed on the Israeli side; Jordanian authorities confirmed suspension of passenger traffic following closure from the Israeli side.
The Israeli military chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, issued a recommendation to halt humanitarian aid entry from Jordan pending an investigation and updated screening procedures for Jordanian drivers. Jordan has condemned the attack and launched an official investigation.