(MENAFN) Three Palestinian olive pickers were injured Saturday after being attacked by illegal Israeli settlers in southern Nablus, in the occupied West Bank, according to reports.

Armed settlers assaulted the farmers with sticks and dogs in the Wadi al-Hajj Issa area of Aqraba, injuring three and forcing others to flee their lands.

In the nearby town of Duma, Israeli soldiers reportedly blocked Palestinians from accessing their olive groves. Suleiman Dawabsha, head of the local village council, said that settlers have repeatedly attacked farmers, stealing olives, damaging trees, and grazing livestock on private property.

The Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission reported that illegal settlers have carried out more than 7,000 attacks against Palestinians and their property in the West Bank since Israel launched its offensive in Gaza in October 2023. This includes 158 assaults targeting olive pickers since the start of this month.

Muayyad Shaaban, head of the commission, stated that this year’s olive harvest has been “the hardest in decades” due to widespread restrictions labeling farmlands as “closed military zones.”

Olive harvesting is a crucial source of income for many Palestinian families. According to agricultural authorities, this year’s yield is among the weakest in decades, estimated at only 15% of the average level. Palestine produced about 27,300 tons of olive oil in 2024, up from 10,000 tons in 2023.

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