Three individuals from Israel meet their unfortunate demise at Allenby Crossing, the boundary point between the West Bank and Jordan.
The Israel Airports Authority, which manages the border checkpoint at the Allenby Bridge with Jordan, reported that the three individuals who passed away worked at the facility.
"A terrorist gunned down three personnel of the Allenby Bridge at close range," according to Alex Chen, the crossing's supervisor, who then took down the assailant himself.
The Allenby Bridge primarily serves Palestinians and tourists. Israeli residents are not permitted to utilize it.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed, "A terrorist sneaked up to the Allenby Bridge from Jordan in a truck, exited the vehicle, and attacked the Israeli security personnel on duty with gunfire."
"Three Israeli civilians succumbed to their injuries due to the attack," the IDF announced, adding that the perpetrator had been killed. The IDF also released an image of the firearm supposedly used in the attack.
Israeli police reported "several casualties on the scene," and also confirmed that the suspect had been subdued.
Preliminary investigations conducted by Jordanian authorities identified the shooter as Maher Diab Hussein Al-Jazi, a Jordanian resident from Al-Hussainiya in the Maan governorate south of Amman.
Al-Jazi was acting alone, according to the Jordanian Ministry of Interior, who also stated that he had used a commercial vehicle to transport goods from Jordan to the West Bank. Local authorities are now coordinating the repatriation of Al-Jazi's body for burial in Jordan.
Al-Jazi's brother, Shady Al-Jazi, claimed that his family had learned of his tragic fate through satellite television. He suggested that his brother's resentment towards Israel's attacks on Hamas in Gaza might have been a motivating factor.
"He frequently crossed the bridge as a truck driver, offloading his vehicle in Israel before returning to Jordan. However, his distress over the Palestinian cause, witnessing the bloodshed in Gaza, and the shared emotion of Palestinian solidarity among all of us could have fueled his actions," he commented to Jordanian media outlet Ammon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the attack, labeling the three Israelis as victims of a "despicable terrorist."
In his opening remarks at the government meeting, Netanyahu stated, "Israel is surrounded by an aggressive ideology led by Iran's evil axis."
The Jordanian government also condemned the shooter's actions, with spokesperson Sufian Qudah saying, "Jordan denounces and condemns violence and targeting civilians for any reason."
The ministry, however, hinted at a possible correlation between extremism and Israel's actions in Gaza and the West Bank, urging efforts to "address the underlying issues and de-escalate tensions." Jordan has been actively working towards a ceasefire in Gaza, as well.
The incident occurred just two weeks after Israel launched one of its most comprehensive operations in the West Bank in recent years, involving raids, bulldozing highways, and carrying out airstrikes in various parts of the occupied territory.
Tensions have intensified in the West Bank since Israel initiated its military operations in Gaza in response to Hamas' attacks on southern Israel on October 7th.
Since then, Israeli troops and settlers have reportedly killed nearly 700 Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah. These figures do not distinguish between militants and civilians.
All three land crossings between Israel and Jordan were temporarily closed following the attack, and have since been reopened for passenger use only.
Jordan, the second Arab nation to sign a peace agreement with Israel in 1994, has frequently criticized Israel's military operations in the West Bank and Gaza.
Jordan is a close ally of the United States, receiving significant military aid from the United States.
The incident involving the attack at the Allenby Bridge was widely covered in international news, with many expressing concern about the escalating tension in the Middleeast.
In the wake of the attack, numerous countries called for de-escalation and peace in the region, recognizing the potential impact on stability in the world.
