At least 12 Palestinians and two foreign journalists were injured on Friday in terrorist attacks carried out by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, where they burned four Palestinian vehicles, including one belonging to civil defense.
The injuries were distributed among the towns of Abu Falah, Birzeit, Deir Ghassir, Burqa, and Turmus Ayya in the Ramallah and al-Bireh governorate in the central West Bank, according to data from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, the Civil Defense Agency, and the Al-Badil human rights organization.
Multiple injuries in Ramallah and al-Bireh
The Red Crescent Society stated in a statement that its teams responded to two injuries resulting from settlers beating farmers while harvesting olives in the town of Abu Falah, northeast of Ramallah. It clarified that the injured were a 63-year-old woman and a 40-year-old man, who were transported to the hospital.
In the Birzeit area in the town of Birzeit north of Ramallah, Red Crescent teams responded to an injury of a 70-year-old man resulting from a settler attack. They also responded to three injuries resulting from a beating in the town of Deir Ghassir east of Ramallah, and the injured were transported to the health center.
In the town of Burqa east of Ramallah, the Society announced that its teams responded to four injuries resulting from a settler attack on farmers. Meanwhile, Al-Badil organization reported that the injuries concentrated on the head, back, and hands, while a foreign journalist was sprayed with pepper spray during the attack.
Burning of vehicles and attack on journalists
In the town of Turmus Ayya north of Ramallah, local sources told Anadolu Agency that settlers attacked olive pickers and burned three Palestinian vehicles in the Al-Nab'at area. The sources added that sirens were sounded in the town to warn citizens of the settler attack.
In the same town, Al-Badil organization stated that American journalist Heidi Levine was injured after being attacked by settlers while protected by the Israeli army. It clarified that Levine was transported to the Consultative Hospital to receive treatment.
For his part, the Palestinian Civil Defense stated that settlers attacked a team belonging to them while they were heading to extinguish the fire on the vehicles in Turmus Ayya. It added that volunteers from the Civil Defense in the villages of Abu Falah and Turmus Ayya contributed to extinguishing the flames.
Escalation of attacks during the olive season
He clarified that settlers attacked the team and assaulted its members, resulting in one rescuer suffering from bruises, and they also burned a vehicle belonging to the Civil Defense. In the town of Ramon east of Ramallah, Al-Badil organization reported that settlers attacked farmers and drove them from their lands while harvesting olives.
In the town of Qabalan south of Nablus in the northern West Bank, settlers chased a Palestinian woman, beat her, and stole her olive harvest, according to the organization. It added that settler attacks also targeted farmers and olive pickers in the eastern area of the village of Burin and the town of Majdal Bani Fadl south of Nablus.
In the town of Araba southwest of Jenin in the northern West Bank, settlers attacked homes belonging to the Rihal family, according to the same source. These attacks coincide with the olive harvest season, which constitutes a primary source of livelihood for thousands of Palestinian families in the West Bank.
Palestinian farmers face attacks during the season that include beating, theft of crops, and preventing access to agricultural lands. Since October/November 2023, attacks by the Israeli army and settlers against Palestinians and their property in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, have escalated, coinciding with the genocide in the Gaza Strip.
Source: Anadolu Agency
Comments (0)