Mapping the rise in Israeli settler attacks in the occupied West Bank

 Mapping the rise in Israeli settler attacks in the occupied West Bank

More than 1,000 violent settler attacks have occurred in the first eight months of 2025 alone.

While much of the world's attention is focused on the Gaza ceasefire agreement, less than 33 kilometers (21 miles) away, Israeli settlers, often with the support of soldiers, continue to carry out daily attacks and raids in the occupied West Bank.

Image aljazeera

On Monday night, Israeli settlers uprooted 150 olive trees in the village of Bardala in the northern Jordan Valley, destroying the livelihoods of several families.

Settlers regularly seize land in Bardala, burning property and destroying crops in order to seize Palestinian land, expand illegal Israeli settlements, and intimidate local communities into leaving.

Earlier on Monday, settlers attacked Palestinian farmers in Beit Fajjar, south of Bethlehem, injuring several. Witnesses reported that the attackers threw stones, set dogs on people, and set vehicles on fire.

Increase in Settler Attacks

Since Israel's war on Gaza began in October 2023, there has been a steady increase in violence by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.

According to data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), settlers have attacked Palestinians in the occupied West Bank nearly 3,000 times in the past two years.

The number of attacks by settlers has risen sharply since 2016, with 852 recorded in 2022, 1,291 in 2023, and 1,449 in 2024.

With over 1,000 attacks in the first eight months of 2025, this year is on track to become the most violent year on record.

Settler attacks often increase during the olive harvest season from September to November, a crucial time of the year and a major source of livelihood for many Palestinian families.

Who are the Israeli settlers attacking Palestinians?

Israeli settlements are simply Jewish communities settled on Palestinian land that Israel occupied in 1967.

Today, between 600,000 and 750,000 settlers live in more than 250 settlements and outposts in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. Many of these are near Palestinian towns and villages, often leading to increased tensions and severe restrictions on Palestinian movement.

Settlers are often armed and often accompanied or protected by Israeli soldiers. In addition to destroying Palestinian property, they have committed arson and killed Palestinian residents.

Where have settlers attacked in the occupied West Bank?

Every governorate in the West Bank has experienced settler attacks over the past two years. OCHA data shows that between January 2024 and August 2025, Ramallah and al-Bireh Governorate recorded the highest number of settler attacks, with 634, followed by Nablus with 501 and Hebron with 462.

Most settler attacks occur in Area C, which covers more than 60 percent of the occupied West Bank, and are concentrated near Israeli settlements and outposts.

Under the 1993 Oslo Accords, the occupied West Bank was divided into three areas: Area A, which is fully under the control of the Palestinian Authority (PA); Area B, which is under the administrative authority of the PA and Israeli security control; and Area C, which is fully controlled by Israel.

More than 1,000 Palestinians killed in the West Bank

According to UN data, since October 7, 2023, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 10,000 injured by Israeli forces and armed settlers in the occupied West Bank.

In 2025 alone, OCHA has documented at least 178 Palestinian deaths linked to settler and military violence. Victims include farmers, children, and residents trapped in almost daily raids and attacks on villages and refugee camps.

Settlement violence has also led to widespread displacement. At least 3,434 Palestinians have been displaced from their homes due to settler violence and access restrictions since the war in Gaza began.