West Bank: Israeli Settlers Kill Palestinian During Olive Harvest

A Palestinian man died on Wednesday in an attack by Israeli settlers as Palestinians were harvesting olives near the village of Burqa in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

This fatal attack is one in a series of Israeli aggressions. Settlers reportedly used live ammunition against farmers, attacked journalists, and damaged olive trees. The violence disrupts the harvest and increasingly restricts Palestinian farmers' access to their fields.

Shots Fired Over a Stone?

The Israeli military stated that both soldiers and settlers discharged firearms during the incident on Wednesday. The soldiers reportedly responded to a report of a Palestinian throwing a stone at a settler. However, the military did not explain the settlers' presence in the area.

Reuters journalists have observed multiple incidents over the past two weeks where the Israeli military and settlers prevented Palestinians from reaching their olive groves.

At Least 30 Palestinians Killed by Israeli Settlers

The Palestinian Ministry of Health identified the deceased as 44-year-old Ali Hassan Yusor al-Bazzari. Initially, it was unclear whether he was killed by the Israeli military or by settlers. Witnesses reported that Israeli soldiers were protecting the settlers. During the funeral after the attack, al-Bazzari's twelve-year-old son, Danial, wept over his father's body, which was later covered with a Palestinian flag.

The olive harvest, which runs from October to November, coincides with a period of escalating violence in the West Bank. According to the Palestinian Authority, Israeli settlers have killed at least 30 Palestinians this year. The authority also reported that in the first half of 2026, more than 45,000 trees were cut down or damaged across the West Bank, including over 26,000 olive trees.

Violence by Radical Settlers Prevents Palestinians from Harvesting

Olive trees hold significant importance for Palestinians. They represent their connection to the land and serve as a vital source of income, especially amidst growing economic pressure. "For us, the olive tree is life," said Tayseer Al-Sheikh, a 64-year-old Palestinian farmer from the vicinity of Rantis village, northwest of Ramallah.

Fear of settler violence had prevented him from accessing and tending to his olive groves for a year. He was only able to return to them during this year's harvest, accompanied by activists who provided a protective presence. For Al-Sheikh, the loss is measured not only by the number of trees or the quantity of olive oil produced but also by how people's relationship with their land changes.

"Before, everyone came to the olives, young and old. Today, many people are afraid to enter their land," he told Reuters.