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2024 Neot HaKikar shooting

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On 18 October 2024, at least two gunmen infiltrated Israel from Jordan in the Neot HaKikar area, a moshav located in the Arabah valley just south of the Dead Sea.[1][2] The gunmen ambushed Israeli troops and opened fire on them, wounding two of them moderately.[1][3] Israeli troops killed two of the gunmen during a firefight, with a third attacker probably escaping.[1] Residents of Neot HaKikar were instructed to remain indoors as the troops and police searched for the third gunman.[4]

The Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan identified the two deceased attackers, Hussam Abu Ghazaleh and Amer Qawoos, as members of their group.[5] Palestinian Islamist group Hamas praised the attack, that occurred just a few hours after Israeli troops killed their leader, Yahya Sinwar, in Rafah.[5]

Background

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Relations between Israel and Jordan, which signed a peace treaty in 1994, have been tense since the start of the Israel–Hamas war in October 2023, with Jordan having recalled its ambassador to Israel.[6] Nonetheless, in some respects, security cooperation remained close; in April 2024, Jordan helped Israel in shooting down Iranian missiles launched against Israel.[6]

The Israeli-Jordanian border has remained largely calm since the peace treaty,[5] experiencing only limited incidents like the one on September 8, 2024, a month before the Neot HaKikar attack, when a Jordanian truck driver carried out a shooting attack at the Allenby Bridge, a border terminal between Jordan and the Israeli-occupied West Bank, killing three Israeli civilians employed at the terminal.[7][8][9][10][11] The perpetrator was shot and killed by Israeli security forces.[12][7][13] Jordan identified the attacker as one of its citizens, named Maher Al-Jazy, while condemning attacks against civilians and calling for de-escalation.[14][7] On the streets in Jordan, some citizens gathered to celebrate the attack, amid widespread anger over the war.[15]

On 16 October 2024, Hamas militant and leader Yahya Sinwar was killed in a gunfight with the Israeli military in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip.[16] Sinwar, who was one of Israel's most wanted men after the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, was in a building with two others. The military operation was described as random and not planned in advance. The killing was announced on 17 October.

The attack

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On 18 October 2024, at least two gunmen infiltrated Israel from Jordan near Neot HaKikar in the Arava valley, south of the Dead Sea.[1][2] The gunmen, who were clad in military uniform,[4] ambushed Israeli troops and opened fire, wounding an IDF soldier and a reservist moderately.[1][3] The IDF promptly responded and killed two of the gunmen.[1] According to police, the gunmen attempted to enter Moshav Neot HaKikar, but were stopped by the army and the community's security squad.[4] Residents of Neot HaKikar were instructed to remain indoors while the IDF and police, in collaboration with the Israeli Air Force,[2] began searching for a third gunman who probably escaped.[4]

Responses

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The Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan claimed the two killed attackers as members of their group, saying they "always participated in events in solidarity with Gaza and in support of the resistance." Muslim Brotherhood spokesman Moath al-Khawaldeh named the two as Hussam Abu Ghazaleh and Amer Qawoos.[5]

The leadership of Palestinian group Hamas in Qatar, commended the shooting attack "targeting soldiers of the Zionist occupation army," adding in a statement that it "confirms" the continued Arab support for their cause.[5]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Shooters infiltrate Israel from Jordan, injuring multiple IDF soldiers". Türkiye Today. Retrieved 2024-10-18.
  2. ^ a b c "IDF says third attacker may have infiltrated from Jordan and escaped, troops searching the area". The Times of Israel.
  3. ^ a b Zitun, Yoav; Curiel, Ilana (2024-10-18). "IDF soldier, reservist moderately injured in shooting attack near Dead Sea". Ynetnews. Retrieved 2024-10-18.
  4. ^ a b c d "Two Wounded After Gunmen Enter Israel From Jordan, Carry Out Shooting Near Dead Sea". Haaretz.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Israel army kills two attackers who crossed from Jordan". Al-Arabiya News. 2024-10-18.
  6. ^ a b Berman, Lazar (September 11, 2024). "Visiting Jordan Valley, Netanyahu vows to work with Amman to boost border fence". The Times of Israel.
  7. ^ a b c "Three Israeli civilians shot dead at Allenby Crossing between West Bank and Jordan". CNN. September 8, 2024. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
  8. ^ Fortinsky, Sarah (2024-09-09). "Three Israeli civilians killed at crossing between West Bank and Jordan". The Hill. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
  9. ^ "Three Israelis killed in shooting at West Bank-Jordan border crossing". France 24. 2024-09-08. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
  10. ^ Berger, Miriam; Timsit, Annabelle; Masih, Niha (2024-09-08). "Gunman kills 3 Israelis in rare attack at border crossing with Jordan". The Washington Post.
  11. ^ "Gunman crossing from Jordan kills three Israelis at border, Israeli army says". Reuters. September 8, 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  12. ^ "פיגוע בבקעת הירדן: שלושה נרצחים מירי במעבר אלנבי". Maariv (in Hebrew). 2024-09-08. Retrieved 2024-09-08.
  13. ^ "Shooting attack at the West Bank-Jordan border crossing kills 3 Israelis". AP News. 2024-09-08. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
  14. ^ "Jordan's Foreign Ministry issues belated, tepid condemnation of deadly terror shooting". Times of Israel. 2024-09-09.
  15. ^ Al-Khalidi, Suleiman (2024-09-09). "Jordan's Islamists, buoyed by anger over Gaza, seek to shake up parliament at polls". Reuters.
  16. ^ Harvey, Lex; Stambaugh, Alex; Radford, Antoinette; Chowdhury, Maureen; Sangal, Aditi; Hammond, Elise (17 October 2024). "Live updates: Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar killed in Gaza, Israel confirms". CNN. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
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