A Jordanian driver transporting humanitarian aid bound for Gaza opened fire at the Allenby Crossing on Thursday, killing two Israelis before being shot dead by security forces, officials from both Israel and Jordan confirmed.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, which Israel condemned as a “terror incident.” The Allenby Crossing serves as the sole gateway for Palestinians from the Israeli-occupied West Bank into Jordan and is a critical channel for humanitarian deliveries.
Jordan’s Foreign Ministry identified the assailant as Abdul Mutalib al-Qaisi, a 56-year-old civilian who began working as an aid driver to Gaza three months ago. Israel’s ambulance service said the two victims, who have not been publicly named, succumbed to their injuries following the shooting.
In a statement, Jordan expressed concern that the attack could jeopardise its humanitarian role in Gaza, stressing that an investigation had been launched. Israel, meanwhile, said its military chief of staff Eyal Zamir had recommended suspending the entry of aid trucks from Jordan until new screening measures for drivers are put in place.
The incident comes amid heightened regional tensions. Earlier this month, Hamas claimed responsibility for a deadly shooting on the outskirts of Jerusalem that killed six people. It also follows a similar attack in September 2024, when a Jordanian gunman killed three Israelis at the same crossing before being fatally shot by security forces.
Melissa Enoch
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