Allenby Crossing Closed Indefinitely After Attack Kills Two Soldiers
The Israel Airports Authority has closed the Allenby Crossing between the West Bank and Jordan until further notice following a deadly attack that killed two Israeli soldiers on Thursday. The assailant, identified by Jordanian officials as 57-year-old Abd al-Mutalib al-Qaisi, was a Jordanian truck driver transporting humanitarian aid intended for Gaza. He opened fire and carried out a stabbing at the crossing on Thursday before being shot dead by security forces.
The northern Jordan River Crossing was also closed, while the Israel-Jordan Rabin Crossing near Eilat is currently limited to workers. The Taba Crossing with Egypt remains open, the authority said.
According to security officials, the truck had not yet undergone the standard inspection when the attack began. IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir recommended halting all humanitarian shipments from Jordan until the investigation concludes and security procedures are reassessed.
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Medical teams from Magen David Adom and IDF medics arrived quickly but were unable to save the soldiers, who were found unconscious and in critical condition. Despite extended resuscitation efforts, both were pronounced dead at the scene. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later confirmed the fallen were combat soldiers, describing them as “heroes [who] fall so that the state may live.”
Jordan’s Foreign Ministry condemned what it called a “fatal double stabbing” while warning the incident could affect the transfer of humanitarian aid to Gaza. At the same time, the ministry reiterated demands for an end to “Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip” and called for a permanent ceasefire.
Security forces, including the elite Duvdevan unit and Battalion 47, were deployed to secure the crossing and search for accomplices, supported by helicopters. The IDF said forces also surrounded Jericho as part of their response.
The assault occurred nearly a year after a similar attack at the same border point in September 2024 that left three Israelis dead. The repetition of such incidents has renewed concerns over security gaps in the arrangements governing aid shipments from Jordan. Authorities are continuing to investigate al-Qaisi’s background and possible connections.
