Three Israelis Killed in Shooting at Jordan-West Bank Border Crossing
Three Israeli men were shot and killed at the Allenby Bridge crossing between Jordan and the West Bank, Israeli authorities confirmed. The attacker, reportedly arriving in a truck from the Jordanian side, exited the vehicle and began shooting near the border terminal.
According to a statement from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), security personnel neutralized the gunman on site. The truck was thoroughly searched for potential explosives, though none were found.
Jordanian officials are investigating the incident, which took place in an area where Jordanian trucks typically offload goods for transport into the West Bank. Following the attack, the border crossing was shut down from both sides, and all Israeli land crossings with Jordan have been closed.
The victims, identified as Yohanan Shchori (61), Yuri Birnbaum (65), and Adrian Marcelo Podzamczer, were employed as guards at the crossing but were not members of the Israeli military or police, according to Israeli media. Footage from the scene showed the gunman approaching the terminal and opening fire before being shot by security forces.
A Jordanian border official reported that dozens of Jordanian truck drivers in the area were detained by Israeli forces for questioning in connection with the attack.
The Allenby Bridge, also known as the King Hussein Bridge, serves as the only direct crossing point between the West Bank and Jordan. It is a crucial route for trade and travel, lying between Amman and Jerusalem. While Jordan and Israel maintain diplomatic and trade relations, Jordan frequently voices criticism of Israeli policies toward Palestinians.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the attack during a cabinet meeting, calling it a “hard day” and offering condolences to the families of the victims. He condemned the attacker, referring to him as a “loathsome terrorist” who “murdered three of our citizens in cold blood.”
Although no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, Hamas praised it as a “natural response” to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Since the start of the war, following Hamas’s 7 October attack on Israel, over 600 Palestinians have been killed in West Bank-related violence, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
UN reports indicate that, during the same period, at least 18 Israelis have died in West Bank violence, not counting deaths after mid-August. The region remains tense following Israel’s recent nine-day military operation in Jenin, a militant stronghold within the West Bank.
