Hamas's praise of the attack underscores its role in the escalating regional tensions. (Image: Al Jazeera)
In a violent incident that threatens to destabilize a vital regional supply route, two people were shot and killed near the Allenby Border Crossing between the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Jordan. Hamas has hailed the attack, which targeted a truck carrying humanitarian aid, as a legitimate act of resistance, adding to the region's already high level of tension.
According to the Israeli military, the attack unfolded when a terrorist arrived in a truck that was part of a convoy transporting humanitarian aid from Jordan. The assailant “opened fire” on individuals near the crossing. The Magen David Adom (MDA) emergency service confirmed the two victims were Israeli men, aged approximately 20 and 60 years old.
The attacker was swiftly “killed by security forces at the scene,” ending the immediate threat. In response to the shooting, Israeli authorities made the decision to close the Allenby Crossing, a critical choke point for people and goods moving between the West Bank and the wider world.
The site of this attack is highly strategic and significant.
Only Direct Link: The Allenby Bridge crossing, also known as the King Hussein Bridge, is the only official crossing point directly between the West Bank and Jordan. Being the only route to the West Bank that does not pass through Israel proper, it is an essential lifeline.
Vital Supply Route: With the closure, a critical channel of commerce and aid, daily Jordanian trucks serving both the West Bank and Israel—has been abruptly cut off.
Historical Flashpoint: This is not an isolated incident. The attack comes exactly one year after three Israeli men were shot dead at the same location by an attacker whom the Israeli military identified as a Jordanian truck driver.
While the identity of the attacker has not been officially released, the Palestinian armed group Hamas quickly claimed responsibility for praising the act. The strike was a "reaction to the everyday crimes and killings done by the [Israeli] occupation against our Palestinian people," according to the organization, which Israel is fighting in Gaza.
The rhetoric situates the violence within the Gaza war and the long Israeli-Palestinian struggle, portraying it as retaliatory.
The incident places Jordan in a delicate position. The kingdom maintains necessary security, trade, and diplomatic ties with Israel but is also one of the most vocal critics of Israel's actions towards Palestinians. This already tense relationship is made more difficult by attacks coming from or happening at its border, which put diplomatic and security cooperation to the test.
The use of an aid truck as the vehicle for the attack also raises serious questions about the security of humanitarian convoys, potentially leading to more stringent and slower checks that could impede the flow of essential supplies.
