UN-appointed experts called on Israel on Oct. 19 to ensure Palestinian farmers can reach their groves in the occupied West Bank, warning that violence and access restrictions threaten income from the olive harvest.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) recorded 199 harvest-related settler attacks between Sept. 1 and Oct. 12, before the season’s scheduled Oct. 15 start. OCHA reported one Palestinian killed, 124 injured and damage to more than 2,500 trees and saplings. It attributed 92 injuries to settlers and 32 to Israeli forces in the context of settler attacks.
The crop is a source of income for an estimated 80,000 to 100,000 Palestinian families, OCHA said. Production was 7,000 tonnes of olive oil in 2025, according to ministry figures cited by OCHA. For 2026, the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture says output could reach about 21,000 tonnes, but only if farmers can complete the harvest.
The experts said permit rules and advance coordination requirements could keep growers from their land. They also cited Israeli military orders issued in September to clear vegetation on about 339,000 square meters of Palestinian farmland, including olive-growing areas. Their appeal follows earlier coverage of threats to farmers’ access.
In Gaza, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights said Israeli attacks killed 18 Palestinians from Oct. 14 to 18, including three children and two women. Its account covers airstrikes, shelling and gunfire.
The Associated Press reported that the Israeli military said it struck Hamas and Islamic Jihad military operatives in the Gaza City and Deir al-Balah areas in some Oct. 17 attacks. The military had not responded to AP about a strike in Rafah, the news agency reported.
Funding shortages are also reducing food assistance in Gaza. The World Food Programme (WFP) said its food and cash assistance reached 1.1 million people in October, down from 1.6 million in September. WFP said it needs $450 million for critical operations in Gaza and the West Bank from October 2026 through March 2027.
