In the occupied West Bank, escalating settler violence is leaving Palestinian families trapped between scorched farmland and blocked roads, with little hope of protection.
On Saturday, BBC reporters witnessed a dozen masked settlers descend from an illegal outpost near Turmus Aya, armed with sticks, and launch an attack on Palestinian olive farms. The violence came just days after trees belonging to farmer Brahim Hamaiel were hacked down part of what residents describe as a systematic campaign to force them from their land.
“They want to kill the trees, the livestock, and the idea of a Palestinian state,” Brahim said, standing among the remnants of his ancestral grove. “But something stronger than fear keeps me here the scent of my ancestors, even if I pay the price with my blood.”
Within an hour of the assault, dozens of settlers spread across the hills, torching homes, vehicles, and farmland. Emergency crews trying to respond were chased away, while the Israeli army blocked access roads, leaving families under siege.
Palestinian residents say these attacks have become routine. The UN documented at least 27 settler assaults between 5–11 August alone, displacing 18 households. Human rights group Peace Now reports that more than 100 new outposts have sprung up since the Gaza war began in October 2023, fueling a surge in violence.
The Israeli army described the clashes as “both sides hurling rocks” and said Palestinians burned tyres, while four Israelis required medical treatment. But Palestinians accuse the army of protecting settlers and obstructing aid. “We came to put out fires and treat the injured,” said volunteer medic Yahya al-Khatib, “but soldiers stopped us instead.”
The violence claimed another life hours later when 18-year-old Hamdan Abu-Elaya was shot dead by Israeli troops in nearby al-Mughayyir. The army said soldiers responded with live fire after rocks and Molotov cocktails were thrown.
For Palestinians, however, each loss deepens their resolve. “They thought if they killed our son, we would leave,” Hamdan’s father said defiantly. “But every burial only strengthens our tie to this land.”
As settlement expansion accelerates, families across the West Bank brace for more attacks a cycle of destruction that shows no sign of slowing.
