Palestine: Israeli army chief urges suspension of humanitarian aid from Jordan after killing of 2 officers

Israel’s Chief of General Staff, Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, has urged the country’s political leadership to immediately suspend the transfer of humanitarian aid from Jordan into Palestinian territories following a deadly attack that claimed the lives of two Israeli officers.

According to a statement released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Friday, the incident occurred when an armed assailant infiltrated a convoy of trucks delivering aid from Jordan.

The gunman reportedly opened fire, killing Lieutenant Colonel (Res.) Yitzhak Harosh, 68, and Sergeant Oran Hershko, 20, before being neutralized by security forces.

The IDF statement read: “Yesterday, a terrorist arrived in a truck transporting humanitarian aid from Jordan, and opened fire. As a result, Lieutenant Colonel (Res.) Yitzhak Harosh, 68, and Sergeant Oran Hershko, 20, were killed. Security forces neutralized the terrorist at the scene.

“Following the incident, the Chief of the General Staff advised the political echelon to halt the entry of humanitarian aid from Jordan & implement revised screening procedures for drivers, until the completion of the incident’s inquiry.”

The rare attack, allegedly carried out by a Jordanian national, has heightened tensions between Israel and Jordan, a country that shares a fragile peace agreement with Israel dating back to 1994.

Jordan serves as a key transit hub for humanitarian supplies, including food, fuel, and medical aid, destined for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

Israel has faced growing international pressure to allow more humanitarian aid into Palestinian areas, particularly Gaza, where ongoing hostilities have left much of the population displaced and in dire need of assistance.

Since the Hamas-led assault on Israel on October 8, which killed more than 1,000 people, Israel’s military campaign has left thousands of Palestinians dead and forced hundreds of thousands to rely on international aid for survival.