Jewish Settler Thrash Palestinian Woman Who Was Picking Olives

Last Updated:October 22, 2025, 00:47 IST

Afaf Abu Alia was attacked by a masked settler in Turmus Ayya while harvesting olives. Israeli authorities condemned but disputed journalist reports.

The woman who was injured in the attack.(@infinite_jaz/X)

A 55-year-old Palestinian woman was hit on her head by a masked Jewish settler while she was picking olives.

According to BBC, 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.

The journalist said the settler had knocked the woman, Afaf Abu Alia, known locally as Umm Saleh, unconscious with a stick and continued to hit him when she fell on the ground.

Speaking on the incident, Nathaniel said: “It’s the most vivid image that’s ever been seared in my mind. He swings it one time and I saw her body go completely limp. And then he stood over her and hit her twice more."

According to BBC, the woman, mother of five, could be seen bleeding the video when she was being carried into a vehicle to the hospital.

BBC quoted the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) as saying that the confrontation was dispersed after its forces arrived, and that it “strongly condemns any form of violence" by settlers.

However, the journalist rejected Israel’s claims and said “no Israeli forces showed up to the attack at any point".

He further said that the Israeli soldiers were on-site prior to the attack and had “lured" him and others into an “ambush". He said soldiers “sped off" before the settlers launched the assault.

In a series of posts on social media, Nathaniel said that though he was a US citizen, the US embassy told him that they were not in a position to offer to protect him nor the US citizens in Turmus Ayya.

According to BBC, the attack was part of a wider incident in which at least 15 masked settlers were seen hurling stones and attacking other Palestinians who were harvesting olives – as well as activists who had arrived to support them.

News world Jewish Settler Thrash Palestinian Woman Who Was Picking Olives

Read More