Israel Three dead after attack in the West Bank

SDA

8.9.2024 - 11:29

Israeli police officers stand near the scene of a deadly shooting attack. Photo: Mahmoud Illean/AP/dpa
Israeli police officers stand near the scene of a deadly shooting attack. Photo: Mahmoud Illean/AP/dpa
Keystone

Three people have been killed in an attack in the West Bank at a border crossing with Jordan. The men died of serious gunshot wounds, according to the Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom. According to the Israeli army, they were Israeli civilians.

Keystone-SDA

A truck driver who had entered the country from Jordan had opened fire on Israeli security forces, the Israeli military added. The forces killed him.

According to Israeli reports, the attack took place at the Allenby Bridge, a border crossing to Jordan in the east of the West Bank. Israeli media reported that all border crossings to Jordan in the West Bank and in Israel were initially closed.

Jordan announced the closure of the Allenby Bridge in the West Bank. The Interior Ministry there announced that it would investigate the incident on the other side of the border crossing, as reported by the Petra news agency.

"We are surrounded by a murderous ideology," said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to his office. This is led by Iran. The motive for the attack was initially unclear.

Palestinians have been carrying out more attacks in Israel and the occupied West Bank for around two years. The situation has worsened significantly since the start of the Gaza war following the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023. Since then, more than 660 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli military operations, confrontations or their own attacks in the West Bank, according to the Ministry of Health. Violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians also increased during this period.