‘Season of fear’: Escalating Israeli attacks on olive farmers in West Bank, deadly attacks in Gaza

Key points

• West Bank: Five Palestinians were killed and more than 240 people injured by Israeli forces or settlers over the past two weeks, with 200 olive harvest-related attacks recorded since early September
• Gaza: Israeli attacks continue to cause deaths and injuries as nearly one million Palestinians face the risk of winter flooding
• A lack of funds has forced UN agencies to do just that make massive cuts for food programs

Death, demolition along the so-called ‘yellow line’

In the Gaza Strip, deadly Israeli airstrikes, gunfire and shelling occurred alongside attacks, destruction and reported shifts in the so-called “yellow line” imposed by Israel since a year-old ceasefire agreement.

The attacks raise concerns and risk further displacement, according to the report latest updates from the United Nations emergency relief coordination office, Ocha.

Local health authorities told OCHA 57 Palestinians were reported killed and 319 injured between 29 September and 12 Octoberbringing the total number of casualties since the October 2025 ceasefire agreement to 1,493 fatalities and 5,299 injured.

Winter storms and increasing hunger

Meanwhile, approx 950,000 refugees are estimated to be living in locations with moderate to high risk of floodingincluding more than 400,000 people at high risk.

Available supplies provide only partial assistance to 18 percent of the 294,250 families who need housing support during the rainy season, OCHA reported.

Daily cooked food production has decreased by 12 percent to about 614,000 amid funding constraints, while shortages of fuel, engine oil and essential supplies threaten the continuity of health and water services, the UN agency said.

Settler violence must end: Independent experts

Five Palestinians were killed and more than 240 people injured as a result of attacks by Israeli forces or settlers in the occupied West Bank over the past two weeks, OCHA reported.

During the same period, 160 settler attacks related to the olive harvest resulted in casualties, property damage, or both record demolitions displaced 96 Palestiniansthe agency said.

UN independent human rights expert warned on Monday that Palestinian farmers face new threats as the annual olive harvest begins, so Israel is pressing to guarantee protection and safe access to their land.

‘Maximum pressure’ required

“The olive harvest should be a time when farmers can enjoy, in safety and dignity, the food and livelihood provided by nature and their land, not a season of fear, loss, violence and destruction,” the Security Council said. Human Rights Council-appointed experts, who are not UN staff and do not receive a salary.

“Israel has an international legal obligation to end its occupation of Palestinian land“immediately halt new settlement activity, evacuate settlers from the Occupied Palestinian Territories and provide full reparation for the damage caused by such violations, including by returning land and allowing displaced Palestinians to return to their homes,” the experts said.

“The international community, especially countries with power and influence, must exert maximum pressure to protect Palestinian civilians, stop and stop these acts reversing rapidly growing annexation policies and practices and ensuring decades of accountability for violations of Palestinian rights under international law,” they said, warning that the situation could worsen following new Israeli orders to uproot olive trees and restrictions on farmers in the West Bank.