Three Israeli men were killed at the Allenby Bridge border crossing between Jordan and the occupied West Bank, according to Israeli officials. The gunman, identified by the Israeli military as Jordanian Maher Jazi, approached the crossing in a truck, exited, and began shooting. Security personnel at the scene “neutralized” him, and the truck was subsequently examined for explosives.
Jordan is investigating the incident, which occurred in an Israeli-controlled area where Jordanian vehicles deliver goods to the West Bank. The border point has been closed in both directions.
Israeli media identified the victims as Yohanan Shchori, 61, Yuri Birnbaum, 65, and Adrian Marcelo Podzamczer, whose age was not disclosed. They were guards at the crossing but were not affiliated with the military or police. Kan News reported that Jazi, a 39-year-old truck driver, was responsible for the attack. Video footage showed him walking into the terminal and firing three times before being shot.
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A Jordanian border official stated that Israeli forces detained at least 24 Jordanian truck drivers for questioning. Following the attack, all land crossings between Israel and Jordan have been closed.
The Allenby Bridge, also known as the King Hussein Bridge, is the sole official crossing between Jordan and the West Bank and is situated midway between Amman and Jerusalem. It is the only entry point into the West Bank that does not go through Israel.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the day as “hard” and expressed condolences to the victims’ families. He condemned the attack as an act of terrorism. Hamas has not claimed responsibility but described the attack as a “natural response” to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The Palestinian health ministry reports over 600 Palestinian deaths in West Bank violence since Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel and the subsequent Gaza conflict. During the same period, at least 18 Israelis were killed in West Bank violence, according to UN figures. Last week, Israeli forces completed a major operation in Jenin, a militant stronghold in the West Bank. Israel states that its actions are aimed at countering terrorism and protecting its citizens.
