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A Jordanian truck driver fatally shot three Israeli security guards at the Allenby Bridge border crossing between the occupied West Bank and Jordan on Sunday, before being shot dead by Israeli forces. The incident, described by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “despicable terrorist” attack, unfolded as violence continues to surge in the region, exacerbated by the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
The attacker, identified by Jordan’s interior ministry as Maher Diab Hussein al-Jazi, opened fire after exiting his truck at the crossing, which connects the West Bank to Jordan. Israel’s military reported that al-Jazi was “eliminated” by security forces at the scene. The three victims, according to the military, were Israeli security guards but were neither army personnel nor police officers.
This rare attack comes against a backdrop of heightened tensions and bloodshed in the West Bank, where Israeli forces and settlers have been clashing with Palestinians. Israel’s military has launched several major raids across West Bank cities, leading to the deaths of at least 36 Palestinians in recent days. Since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas on October 7, at least 662 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank alone, while Palestinian militants have killed 23 Israelis, including security personnel, during the same period.
The ongoing conflict, triggered by Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel, has claimed the lives of over 1,200 Israelis, while Israel’s retaliatory strikes on Gaza have left at least 40,972 Palestinians dead, according to health authorities in Gaza. The United Nations reports that most of the casualties in Gaza are women and children.
Despite increasing international pressure for a ceasefire, including from the United States, Qatar, and Egypt, the war rages on. Israel continues its military operations, striking 25 Hamas targets across Gaza on Sunday. Meanwhile, protests calling for the release of Israeli hostages and an end to the war are growing in Israel, with tens of thousands demonstrating in cities like Tel Aviv.
As the situation intensifies, Israel has vowed to continue its campaign against Hamas, with Defence Minister Yoav Gallant reaffirming the military’s commitment to eliminating the group. However, the conflict has extended beyond Gaza, with Israeli forces also facing threats on the northern front from Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group.
For the residents of Gaza, the situation remains dire. “Moving from one area to another is distressing because there is no safe place in Gaza,” said Raeed Hamad, a cancer patient from Khan Yunis, reflecting the sense of desperation shared by millions of displaced Palestinians.
