On Sunday, September 8, a Jordanian national named Maher Al-Jazi carried out an attack against Israeli security guards at the Allenby crossing, which spans the Jordan River. This border crossing, under Israeli control, is vital for Palestinians in the West Bank, serving as their only connection to Jordan and, by extension, their gateway to the rest of the world.
Al-Jazi approached the Israeli side of the crossing after passing through Jordanian controls and parked his truck in the queue for Israeli checks. He exited the vehicle and opened fire with a handgun, seriously wounding three Israeli guards, including a 65-year-old man, who later succumbed to their injuries. The gunman was also martyred during the incident. According to the Jordanian news agency Petra, Al-Jazi was a driver assigned to deliver goods to the West Bank. Following the attack, the Allenby crossing was immediately closed.
In the aftermath, Hamas and Islamic Jihad issued statements expressing support for the attack, although neither group claimed direct responsibility. Hamas characterized the assault as a “natural response” to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, praising Al-Jazi as a “heroic” individual who acted in response to Israel’s actions around the Al-Aqsa Mosque.