IDF chief recommends halting Jordanian shipments after aid worker killed 2 soldiers at Allenby Crossing

The assailant, a Jordanian truck driver delivering humanitarian aid bound for Gaza, was shot dead by security forces at the scene.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir recommended halting humanitarian shipments from Jordan pending an investigation into the stabbing and shooting attack that killed 2 Israelis at Allenby Crossing on Thursday.

Two Israeli soldiers were targeted in the fatal assault on the main border between Israel and Jordan.

The assailant, a Jordanian truck driver delivering humanitarian aid bound for Gaza, was shot dead by security forces at the scene.

According to security sources, the truck had not yet undergone the required inspection when the assault began.

Zamir urged stopping delivery of humanitarian aid from Jordan until the investigation is completed and security procedures for Jordanian drivers are reviewed.

Jordan’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attack as a “fatal double stabbing” but also warned it could disrupt the country’s ability to transfer humanitarian aid to Gaza.

At the same time, the ministry reiterated its call to end what it termed “Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip” and pressed for a permanent ceasefire

The attack began when the driver, identified by Jordanian officials as 57-year-old Abd al-Mutalib al-Qaisi, opened fire upon arrival at the crossing and then carried out a stabbing before being neutralized.

Medical teams from Magen David Adom and IDF medics rushed to the site, but both victims succumbed to their injuries despite prolonged efforts.

“We found two men unconscious, critically wounded by gunfire. After intensive efforts, we were forced to declare their deaths,” MDA paramedics said, according to Ynet.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later confirmed the fallen were combat soldiers, calling them “heroes [who] fall so that the state may live.”

Security forces, including the elite Duvdevan unit and Battalion 47, were deployed to secure the area and search for accomplices.

Helicopters supported the operation and provided evacuation assistance. The IDF spokesperson confirmed that forces had surrounded Jericho as part of the response.

The incident occurred almost exactly a year after a similar deadly attack at the same crossing in September 2024, which left three Israelis dead.

The attack has raised new concerns about potential security gaps in aid shipments under the bilateral arrangements between Israel and Jordan.

Authorities are continuing their investigation into the assailant’s background and possible links.