Two Israeli Soldiers Killed in Terror Attack at Allenby Crossing by a Jordanian Aid Truck Driver

Lt. Col. (res.) Yitzhak Harosh, 68, of Jerusalem, and Sergeant Oren Hershko, 20, of Tel Mond, were killed in a terrorist attack Thursday at the Allenby Bridge Crossing, which connects the West Bank with Jordan.

According to the IDF, the attacker was a Jordanian citizen driving an aid truck bound for Gaza. Upon reaching the Israeli side of the crossing, he opened fire on the two soldiers and then proceeded to stab them before being shot and apprehended by Israeli security forces.

Lt. Col. Harosh was serving in the Civil Administration’s 309th Reserve Unit under the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT). Sgt. Hershko served in the Foreign Forces Liaison Unit, which handles coordination at international border crossings.

Immediate Response and Aftermath

Magen David Adom (MDA) paramedics were dispatched to the scene and were led by border security personnel to the wounded. Both victims were unconscious with gunshot wounds, and resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful. They were pronounced dead at the scene.

Following the attack, the IDF closed the Israeli side of the Allenby Crossing and surrounded the Jericho area as a precautionary measure to rule out the possibility of a coordinated attack. Jordanian authorities confirmed that the Jordanian side of the crossing remains open, and a formal investigation is underway.

Israel Halts Jordanian Aid Transfers to Gaza

The Israeli political echelon has temporarily frozen all humanitarian aid transfers from Jordan to Gaza in the wake of the attack. The decision comes at the recommendation of the IDF Chief of Staff, who urged a halt until a full investigation is completed and inspection procedures for Jordanian drivers are reviewed and tightened.

Of the approximately 2,000 aid trucks entering Gaza each week, about 150 pass through the Allenby Crossing via Jordan.

In a statement, the Israeli Foreign Ministry condemned the attack and said:

“While Israel is allowing humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, terrorists are exploiting this to murder Israelis. This is the result of vile incitement in Jordan and the echo of Hamas’s campaign of lies.”

Second Deadly Incident at Allenby in a Year

This is not the first fatal incident at the crossing. In September last year, three Israeli workers were murdered in a similar attack at the Allenby cargo terminal:

• Yohanan Shchouri, 61, from Ma’ale Ephraim

• Yuri Birnbaum, 65, from Na’ama

• Adrian Marcelo Podsmesser, from Ariel

In that attack, the assailant—Jordanian citizen Maher Jazi—exited his truck before inspection, opened fire with a firearm, and was killed by security forces on the scene. An IDF investigation later ruled out the presence of explosives in the vehicle.

Heightened Security Measures Expected

Israeli authorities are expected to implement stricter inspection protocols for all Jordanian aid vehicles and personnel entering the West Bank or Gaza. Joint coordination efforts with Jordanian security officials are also likely to intensify in the coming days.