Violent Attack on Palestinian Olive Farmer by Masked Israeli Settler Caught on Camera

The video captured a young male attacker wielding a large wooden stick with a knot at one end, resembling a club.

A Palestinian woman suffered critical injuries after a masked Jewish settler attacked her with a stick in Turmus Ayya village in the central West Bank. The unprovoked assault was documented on video by US journalist Jasper Nathaniel, who reported that the Israeli settler knocked the 55-year-old Palestinian farmer unconscious with his weapon.

The victim was identified as Afaf Abu Alia, also known as Umm Saleh, who had been harvesting olives from her family's trees. Nathaniel shared the footage on X, stating, "October 19, 2025. On the first day of the olive harvest in Turmus Ayyer, the Israeli Defence Force leads a group of farmers directly into a brutal ambush by armed settlers."

He further demanded, "These people need to be in prison by tomorrow, and the people of this village, and all across Palestine, need to be protected. Enough is enough."

The disturbing video shows the attacker repeatedly swinging the wooden club overhead and striking Alia multiple times on the head until she lost consciousness. The assault continued even as she lay motionless on the ground. She was rushed to hospital and admitted to intensive care after suffering a brain hemorrhage, according to Palestinian media reports.

Two additional people reportedly sustained injuries during the attack – a Palestinian and a foreign national who had allegedly come to assist Palestinians who frequently face violent attacks from Israeli settlers during olive harvest season.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) claimed the confrontation was dispersed after their forces arrived and stated they "strongly condemn any form of violence" by settlers, according to the BBC. However, Nathaniel contested this account, asserting, "No Israeli forces showed up to the attack at any point." He alleged that Israeli soldiers were present earlier at the site and had "lured" him and others into an "ambush," further claiming that Israeli forces "sped off" just before the settlers launched their assault.

The BBC reported that approximately 80 percent of Turmus Ayya residents hold US citizenship or residency, as does Nathaniel.

Israeli authorities have not made any arrests in connection with the incident.

The footage caught the attention of Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Palestine. After resharing the video, she highlighted how such attacks have continued for years without action from Israeli authorities.

"For 2 years, the world has seen scenes like this from the West Bank. I wonder where decent Israelis are; those who protest in Tel Aviv," she wrote on X.

"Hatred of Hamas is one thing, but do they not feel some obligation to act to stop their fellow citizens behaving like criminals on the loose?" her post continued.