Israel (TDI): For the first time since September, Israel will reopen the Allenby Crossing, also known as the King Hussein Bridge, for the transfer of humanitarian aid and goods from Jordan to the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The Allenby Crossing is the West Bank’s only link to Jordan. It serves as the sole international gateway for Palestinians in the West Bank that doesn’t require passing through Israel, though it remains under Israeli control, which has managed the area since 1967.”
The reopening, scheduled for Wednesday, comes after “security adjustments” were implemented on both the Israeli and Jordanian sides of the crossing, a defense official said on Tuesday.
The crossing had been closed for cargo following a deadly incident in September, when a Jordanian truck driver transporting aid to Gaza killed two Israeli soldiers.
While the crossing reopened for passenger and pedestrian traffic soon after, cargo deliveries remained suspended until now.
The security screening for drivers and the contents of trucks has been tightened, with dedicated forces assigned to secure the crossing.
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“Following these adjustments, and in accordance with the directive of the political echelon, Israel will reopen the crossing for cargo heading into the West Bank and Gaza,” the official added.
The Allenby Crossing is a key trade route between Jordan and Israel and serves as the primary, and often only, gateway for over three million Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank to access Jordan and the wider world.
Since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict on October 7, 2023, nearly 10,000 trucks carrying more than 144,000 tons of aid have passed through land crossings with Israel and the West Bank, representing about 7% of all aid deliveries to Gaza, according to Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories.
The reopening of the crossing has been welcomed internationally. On Monday, US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz thanked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for resuming the transfer of aid during a meeting in Jerusalem.
The reopening of Allenby Crossing is expected to significantly ease the flow of essential goods and aid to the Gaza Strip, highlighting the critical role this gateway plays in supporting Palestinians and facilitating regional trade.
Minahil Khurshid holds a Master's in Peace and Conflict Studies from NUST. She is passionate about current affairs, public policy, and geopolitics.
