ALBAWABA - Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, has blamed Jordan for the deadly attack on the King Hussein Bridge (Allenby Crossing) on Thursday. He has also announced new restrictions on humanitarian aid shipments going from Jordan to Gaza.
Israel's public broadcaster said that Netanyahu made the claim during a meeting of his security cabinet. The army said that Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi suggested stopping Jordanian aid convoys until the investigations are over. They also asked for stricter checks on Jordanian truck drivers.
A retired Jordanian soldier driving a truck reportedly shot and stabbed an Israeli officer and soldier at close range, killing them both. After the attack, Israel stopped the small amount of humanitarian aid that was coming into Gaza from Jordan right away, even though the area had been suffering from severe food shortages and famine for almost two years.
The Public Security Directorate of Jordan said that it stopped passenger travel through the crossing after Israel closed it from its side. The Jordanian Foreign Ministry said that an investigation would begin right away, condemned the attack, and made it clear that Amman will not tolerate any actions that put Jordan's interests at risk or make it harder for aid to reach Gaza.
The ministry said again that Jordan is committed to keeping its drivers safe and continuing to help people in need. It also called for an end to the war in Gaza and a push for a permanent political solution.
There has been violence at the King Hussein Bridge in the past. A Jordanian truck driver did something similar at the crossing in September 2024, killing three Israelis before being shot dead.
There are three official border crossings between Jordan and Israel: Sheikh Hussein, King Hussein (Allenby), and Wadi Araba.
