**Aid to Gaza Halted as Hundreds of Trucks Are Stranded at the “Allenby Bridge”**
Hundreds of trucks loaded with aid and goods remain stranded at the King Hussein Bridge, as Israeli authorities have decided to close the border crossings with Jordan following an incident where a truck driver shot and killed three Israelis on the other side.
The stranded trucks were carrying aid for the residents of Gaza, which was supposed to be offloaded onto other trucks to enter through the Kerem Shalom crossing, while others were destined for the West Bank.
**Impact of the Attack**
The attack on Sunday targeting the King Hussein Bridge, which connects the West Bank with Jordan, has disrupted shipping and traffic, escalating tensions between Amman and Tel Aviv.
After the Jordanian Public Security announced that the bridge would reopen on Monday at 10 a.m. for passenger traffic but remain closed for shipping, it later confirmed a complete closure until further notice, according to Jordanian TV channel “Al-Mamlaka.”
The incident involved Jordanian truck driver Maher Dhiyab Hussein Al-Jazi, who exited his truck after crossing from the Jordanian side and opened fire with a small pistol on Israeli forces at the site, killing three security guards before being shot by Israeli forces. This led Israel to close the bridge to both passengers and trucks.
**Ongoing Investigation**
Jordanian authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, declaring that it was an isolated attack and not premeditated. They also revealed that the driver was a retired military personnel.
**Vital Lifeline for Palestinians**
The “Allenby Bridge,” as it is known, is a vital lifeline for Palestinian travel. Located near Jericho and the Dead Sea, it spans the Jordan River and provides the shortest route between central Israel and Amman.
The bridge is named after British General Edmund Henry Hynman Allenby, a prominent officer and politician renowned for his role in World War I, particularly following the British capture of Jerusalem in 1917. He defeated the Ottomans in Gaza in November 1917 and took Jerusalem in December of the same year.
Since the signing of the peace treaties between Jordan and Israel in 1994, the movement of passengers and trucks through the bridge has been managed in cooperation between both parties.
By/radwa sherif ✏️✏️📚