SAFA — Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank reached an unprecedented monthly level in October, with the United Nations documenting a record number of assaults resulting in injuries and property damage, as Palestinian farmers and rural communities faced mounting threats to their lives, land, and livelihoods.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) recorded 397 Israeli settler attacks between October 1 and 26, surpassing every previous monthly total since the agency began systematically monitoring such incidents in 2006, even before the final five days of October were included.

The figures highlight the escalating danger facing Palestinian communities across the occupied West Bank, particularly farmers attempting to harvest their crops and families struggling to remain on their land amid repeated attacks, intimidation, and restrictions on movement.

Olive Harvest Season Marred by Israeli Settler Attacks

The surge in Israeli settler attacks coincided with the annual olive harvest, a vital source of income for thousands of Palestinian families whose agricultural livelihoods depend on access to land cultivated across generations.

Between October 20 and 26, OCHA documented 62 Israeli settler attacks affecting 49 Palestinian communities, including 38 incidents linked to the olive harvest, underscoring the severe pressure facing farmers as they attempt to reach their fields, gather their crops, and protect their agricultural property.

The attacks have intensified fears among rural families, many of whom depend on the annual harvest for their financial security and face growing obstacles to accessing their land safely.

57 Palestinians Injured, Including Nine Children

During the same week, 57 Palestinians, including nine children, were injured in incidents involving Israeli settlers and occupation forces across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

According to OCHA's figures, Israeli settlers directly injured 23 Palestinians, while Israeli forces injured another 34 through gunfire and physical assaults.

At least 27 of the injuries occurred in the context of Israeli settler attacks, including 18 Palestinians injured during assaults connected to the olive harvest, demonstrating the serious risks faced by farmers carrying out routine agricultural activities.

The injuries reflect the broader impact of repeated attacks on Palestinian communities, where residents face threats not only to their physical safety but also to their ability to work, move freely, and maintain their livelihoods.

Israeli Settler Attacks Displace 24 Families in Tubas

The escalation has also forced Palestinian families from their homes, particularly in rural areas where repeated Israeli settler assaults and restrictions on access have made everyday life increasingly difficult.

In the Ras al-Ahmar area of Tubas governorate, in the northern occupied West Bank, 24 Palestinian families comprising 94 people, including 40 children, were displaced following repeated settler attacks and growing restrictions on access to the area.

The displacement has deprived families of their homes and threatened their ability to maintain agricultural and livestock-based livelihoods, adding to the pressure facing Palestinian herding communities across the occupied territory.

Attacks Intensify Amid Settlement Expansion

The record number of Israeli settler attacks comes amid a broader escalation across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since Israel launched its war on Gaza in October 2023.

During this period, Palestinian communities have faced killings, arrests, home demolitions, attacks on mosques, the burning of vehicles, and the destruction of agricultural land, alongside repeated assaults by Israeli settlers.

Settlers have continued attacking Palestinian villages, obstructing farmers' access to their fields, targeting herding communities, and pressuring families to abandon their homes, while expanding Israeli settlements and land seizures have further restricted the areas available for Palestinian communities to live and sustain their livelihoods.

With October's documented attacks exceeding every previous monthly record in two decades of UN monitoring, the figures underscore the worsening threats facing Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, where repeated assaults, displacement, and restrictions on access to land are increasingly undermining the ability of entire communities to remain in their homes and preserve their livelihoods.