NEW YORK, October 16, 2026 (WAFA) — The United Nations announced that Israeli colonist attacks targeting Palestinians harvesting olives in the occupied West Bank have already surpassed the total recorded during the entire olive harvest season last year.

UN Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General Farhan Haq made the announcement during his daily press briefing in New York, where he discussed the latest developments in the Middle East.

Haq said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) had reported that attacks by Israeli colonists affecting the olive harvest season, which officially began on Friday, had already exceeded last year's figures.

He said more than 200 attacks targeting Palestinian farmers had been recorded during the current season, compared with 185 throughout the 2025 harvest season.

According to Haq, the attacks have killed one Palestinian and injured more than 120 others, while damaging over 2,500 olive trees and saplings. Approximately 80% of the incidents occurred over the past two weeks.

He added that UN humanitarian partners are providing farmers with equipment and other agricultural supplies to support the harvest. They are also monitoring Israeli-imposed restrictions on access to olive groves near settlements and to land located behind the 712-kilometer separation barrier, while providing farmers with legal assistance.

M.N