Israeli settlers wound five Palestinians, destroy West Bank farmland

Five Palestinians sustained injuries in coordinated attacks by illegal Israeli settlers across the West Bank on Wednesday, while additional assailants destroyed farmland by arson in the occupied territory. The violence represents the latest in a surge of settler attacks that have intensified over the past year.

Assaults Near Hebron

According to documentation by activist Osama Makhmara, settlers from the Otniel settlement attacked residents in Khillet al-Farra village near Hebron. The assailants released livestock into Palestinian vineyards and fruit orchards before physically assaulting villagers, leaving three with minor injuries. Settlers also opened fire during the confrontation, though no gunshot wounds were reported. In a separate incident east of Yatta, an elderly Palestinian man and woman were injured when settlers attacked homes.

Agricultural Sabotage Near Ramallah

Further north in the central West Bank, illegal settlers set fire to olive trees in the Turmus Ayya valley northeast of Ramallah. The official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that the blaze destroyed numerous fruit-bearing trees, causing significant financial damage to local farmers whose livelihoods depend on agricultural production.

Escalating Pattern of Violence

Official Palestinian records document 766 attacks by Israeli forces and settlers against Palestinians and their property during October alone. Since October 2023, the escalation of violence across the West Bank has resulted in over 1,065 Palestinian fatalities and nearly 10,000 injuries according to local authorities. The International Court of Justice declared Israel's occupation illegal last July, calling for evacuation of all West Bank and East Jerusalem settlements.