Brutal Assault on Palestinian Woman by Israeli Settler Raises Alarm

Tue Oct 21 2025 02:33:24 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

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

Umm Saleh Abu Alia, a 55-year-old Palestinian woman, was struck on the head with a club by a masked Israeli settler in the West Bank. The unprovoked assault was witnessed and recorded by journalist Jasper Nathaniel as Abu Alia was picking olives. Initial reports indicate she was taken to the hospital in serious condition but is now stable. The incident highlights the escalating violence during the olive harvest season, a critical time for Palestinian farmers. The Israel Defense Forces condemned the attack, however, accusations of prior military complicity in the assault have been raised.

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 said Israeli soldiers were on-site prior to the attack and had lured him and others into an ambush. He claimed the soldiers sped off just before the settlers launched their assault. The BBC has put this specific allegation to the IDF.

At least 80% of residents of Turmus Ayya hold US citizenship or residency, according to Israeli media. The BBC has reached out to the US State Department and US embassy for comment.

The young male attacker wielded a large wooden stick with a knot at one end, striking Mrs Abu Alia and causing significant injuries. Initially admitted to an intensive care unit, doctors now report she is in stable condition.

Witnesses and local leaders reported a wider incident where masked settlers attacked other Palestinians and activists who were also harvesting olives. The situation on the ground remains deeply concerning, with increased violence documented amid the olive harvest, which traditionally starts on October 9.

The olive harvest is a vital cultural and economic event for Palestinians, but farmers are facing heightened risks, organized assaults, and restrictions on accessing their lands from Israeli forces.

According to the UN, recent reports indicate that of the 71 settler attacks documented in the West Bank between October 7 and 13, half were related to the olive harvest season.

In 2025, over 3,200 Palestinians have reportedly been injured in settler attacks across the West Bank. These assaults are perceived as attempts to intimidate Palestinians and ultimately remove them from their land, with a mere 3% of investigations into such violence resulting in convictions.

Following his election, US President Trump lifted sanctions imposed on Israeli settlers, further complicating the broader situation.