Jordanian behind shooting at West Bank border crossing: Interior ministry

By Laith Al-jnaidi

AMMAN, Jordan (AA) - A Jordanian driver was responsible for a shooting Sunday at the Allenby Bridge Crossing at the border between the West Bank and Jordan which left three Israelis dead as well as the gunman, the Jordanian Interior Ministry said in a statement.

The statement said "the shooter is a Jordanian citizen named Maher al-Jazi from Al-Huseiniyah district of Ma'an Governorate who crossed the bridge driving a truck carrying commercial goods from Jordan to the West Bank."

“Preliminary investigation results indicate that the incident was an individual act, and investigations are ongoing to obtain all details of the incident,” added the ministry.

It added that "coordination is underway with the relevant authorities to receive the body of the perpetrator for burial in Jordan."

According to the ministry, "all Jordanian drivers who were investigated (by Israel) after the incident have been released, and more than 100 trucks returned to the kingdom throughout the day (Sunday)."

The ministry did not indicate whether the trucks delivered their cargoes or not.

The Israeli Magen David Adom emergency service said three Israeli men were critically injured in the attack and were later pronounced dead.

The attacker was shot dead, the Haaretz newspaper said.

The Israeli army said the attacker arrived from Jordan, disembarked and opened fire on guards at the crossing.

The Allenby Bridge Crossing is one of three border terminals between Jordan and Israel in addition to Sheikh Hussein Bridge and the Wadi Araba crossing.

Sunday’s attack came amid rising tensions in the occupied West Bank as Israel presses ahead with its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 40,900 Palestinians, mostly women and children, since last Oct. 7.

At least 692 people have since been killed and more than 5,700 injured by Israeli fire in the occupied West Bank, according to the Health Ministry.

The escalation follows a significant ruling by the International Court of Justice on July 19 which declared Israel's decades-long occupation of Palestinian territories unlawful and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala