Violence Escalates as Palestinian Woman Hospitalized After Attack by Settler

Mon Oct 20 2025 22:32:33 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A 55-year-old Palestinian woman is hospitalized after being struck by a masked Israeli settler while picking olives in the West Bank. This incident highlights the growing tensions during the olive harvest season amidst ongoing conflict.

In a distressing incident in Turmus Ayya, a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank, a 55-year-old woman named Umm Saleh Abu Alia was severely injured by a masked Israeli settler. Witnesses contend the assault was unprovoked, occurring while she was harvesting olives. According to reports, the woman was knocked unconscious and hospitalized after being struck multiple times. This attack is part of a disturbing trend of violence against Palestinians during the olive harvest, a significant cultural and economic event for local communities.

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

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) told the BBC the confrontation was dispersed after its forces arrived, and that it strongly condemns any form of violence by settlers.

However, Mr Nathaniel alleged that Israeli soldiers were on-site prior to the attack and had lured him and others into an ambush. He claimed they sped off just before the settlers launched the assault.

The attack came amid a wider incident where at least 15 masked settlers were seen hurling stones and attacking other Palestinians who were harvesting olives, as well as activists who had arrived to support them, including Mr Nathaniel. At least one car was torched and others had their windows smashed.

The incident reflects increased tensions during the olive harvest, which officially began on 9 October, and highlights the precarious situation for Palestinian farmers who face heightened risks during this season.

In 2025, over 3,200 Palestinians have been injured in settler attacks in the West Bank, according to UN data, with many going unpunished.

This escalation of violence underscores the ongoing conflict in the region, particularly as the olive harvest stands as a historical and essential part of Palestinian culture and economy.