Israel returns body of Jordanian responsible for deadly Allenby Crossing assault

Israel on Thursday returned the body of Abdel Muttaleb al-Qaisi, the Jordanian national who carried out a deadly attack at the Allenby border crossing in September, according to reports from Palestinian media. 

The return comes more than three months after the attack that claimed the lives of two Israeli soldiers. 

Reserve Lieutenant Colonel Yitzhak Harush, 68, from Jerusalem, served in the 309th Reserve Unit of the Civil Administration, while Sergeant Oren Hershko, 20, from Tel Mond, was a liaison sergeant working with foreign forces in the Tevel Brigade. 

Both soldiers were stationed at the Allenby Crossing, one of the primary border points between Israel and Jordan.

Abdel Muttaleb al-Qaisi, born in 1968, was employed by the Jordanian army as a driver transporting humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. On the day of the attack, he arrived at the crossing in a humanitarian aid truck, concealing a pistol and a knife. Once at the checkpoint, al-Qaisi opened fire on the soldiers present, killing Harush and Hershko. Israeli security forces returned fire and neutralized him on site.

The incident sparked heightened security measures at the Allenby Crossing and prompted Israeli authorities to review protocols for inspecting vehicles transporting humanitarian aid. Israeli officials have also emphasized that the attack underlined the ongoing security challenges at border crossings, even in contexts involving humanitarian operations.

The handover of al-Qaisi’s body to Jordan follows diplomatic and security discussions between the two countries. While Jordanian authorities have historically expressed concern over incidents involving their citizens, Israeli officials stressed that the return of the body does not alter Israel’s stance on maintaining strict security measures at its borders.