Following the recent ceasefire in Gaza, violence in the occupied West Bank has soared. Palestinian farmers harvesting olives now face a wave of attacks by armed Israeli settlers — numbering over 260 in October alone — the highest monthly tally since UN monitoring began. Local activists say the aggressions are carried out with near-total impunity, underscoring a deepening humanitarian and security crisis.
Rising violence against farmers and communities
In villages across the West Bank, settlers have vandalised vehicles, raided farmlands and torched property. In one documented case, a Palestinian farmer was assaulted and his crops destroyed. Many incidents have intersected with the annual olive-harvest season, a period when farmers are especially vulnerable. One activist stated: “It’s really bad at the moment. The settlers are operating with total impunity.”
A record-breaking month: data and implications
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), October saw more than 260 attacks resulting in casualties or damage to property — the highest figure ever recorded for a single month since monitoring began in 2006.This surge equates to roughly eight attacks per day and has intensified concerns about systematic pressures on Palestinian livelihoods and land rights.
Political backdrop and accountability concerns
The spike in violence comes amid a larger ceasefire in Gaza, raising alarm that hostilities are shifting into other territories. Despite rare condemnations from high-level Israeli officials, local observers say accountability remains minimal. Investigations into settler attacks rarely result in charges, fuelling a sense of impunity With international law deeming settlement expansion and forcible displacement as potential war crimes, rights-groups warn the situation could further deteriorate.
