Violence Erupts in West Bank: Palestinian Woman Injured by Settler Attack

Mon Oct 20 2025 23:45:15 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A 55-year-old Palestinian woman is hospitalized after being violently assaulted by a masked Israeli settler while harvesting olives in the occupied West Bank.

Umm Saleh Abu Alia, a 55-year-old Palestinian woman, was hospitalized after being clubbed on the head by a masked settler in Turmus Ayya, West Bank. The incident, which was recorded by journalist Jasper Nathaniel, highlights ongoing violence during the olive harvest season. The woman was initially in critical condition but is now stable after treatment. This attack is part of a broader pattern of violence against Palestinians by settlers during the harvest, which has seen increased assaults in recent years.

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 Umm Saleh Abu Alia unconscious with the first strike of his stick, before hitting her again as she lay on the ground.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that they arrived on the scene and dispersed the confrontation, condemning any violence by settlers.

However, Nathaniel claimed that Israeli soldiers were already present and had set up an "ambush". He alleged that soldiers left the scene just before the settlers attacked.

Umm Saleh Abu Alia's attack is part of a disturbing rise in settler violence during the olive harvest, a significant cultural and economic event for Palestinians, with reports of over 70 incidents involving settlers in the past week alone. As per the United Nations, there have been at least 80 settler attacks in the West Bank in October, with half linked to the harvest.

In 2025, over 3,200 Palestinians have reportedly been injured in attacks like this one. The olive harvest season, recently commencing on October 9, continues to see Palestinians face significant threats to their safety as they work the land.