Violence Erupts in West Bank: Palestinian Woman Attacked by Settler

Mon Oct 20 2025 23:47:43 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A 55-year-old Palestinian woman was hospitalized after being struck by a masked Israeli settler while she was picking olives in the occupied West Bank. This incident highlights the ongoing violence and tensions during the olive harvest season.

In a shocking incident captured on video, a masked Israeli settler attacked 55-year-old Umm Saleh Abu Alia, resulting in her hospitalization. The unprovoked assault occurred as she was harvesting olives in the village of Turmus Ayya, raising concerns over the escalating violence faced by Palestinians during the harvest season. Both the Israeli military and local witnesses have raised alarms about the growing risks to Palestinian farmers amid organized settler aggression.

A 55-year-old Palestinian woman has been taken to hospital after being clubbed over the head by a masked Jewish settler as she was picking olives.

The unprovoked attack, which took place on Sunday morning in the Palestinian village of Turmus Ayya in the occupied West Bank, was captured on video by US journalist Jasper Nathaniel.

Mr. Nathaniel reported that the settler knocked the woman unconscious with the first strike of his stick, before hitting her again as she lay on the ground. The woman has been named locally as Umm Saleh Abu Alia.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that the confrontation was dispersed after their forces arrived and condemned any form of violence from settlers.

However, Mr. Nathaniel alleged that Israeli soldiers were present before the attack and had lured him and others into an ambush, speeding away just prior to the assault.

With a large wooden stick resembling a club, the young male attacker struck Mrs. Abu Alia, who was bleeding when carried to a vehicle for transport to the hospital. She was initially admitted to an intensive care unit but is now reported to be in stable condition.

The attack occurred amid a larger incident involving at least 15 masked settlers who were hurling stones and attacking other Palestinians harvesting olives, with at least one vehicle torched and several windows smashed.

The olive harvest is a vital part of Palestinian culture and economy, yet carries significant risks during this season, with farmers facing organized assaults and challenges accessing their lands due to Israeli security forces.

According to the UN's humanitarian office, Ocha, half of the 71 documented settler attacks in the West Bank from October 7 to 13 were related to the ongoing harvest season, affecting Palestinians in 27 villages, while more than 3,200 Palestinians have been injured in settler attacks this year alone.

These missions of intimidation are often aimed at forcing Palestinians off their land, with most incidents going unpunished, according to human rights organizations.