The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has reported that it has recorded 397 incidents carried out by Israeli settlers in the West Bank between October 1 and 26, which represents the highest monthly number since these counts began in 2006.
"Settler violence has remained at a high level during the measured period," OCHA stated in an official note, underlining that "it is the highest monthly figure for attacks since they began to be documented, in 2006".
The governorate of Ramallah appears as the hardest-hit area, accounting for around 40% of the episodes of settler violence that have caused injuries or material damage: 25 of the 62 incidents with victims or damage.
Among the cases described, the organization mentions that on October 20 Israeli settlers, "accompanied by Israeli forces," attacked Palestinian Bedouin families in eastern Rammun, detained several people and stole around one hundred sheep, which they transported to a nearby settlement.
That same day, in the town of Yabrud, settlers tried to seize a vehicle belonging to a Palestinian family and beat three of its members when they tried to stop them. One of them suffered a skull fracture and an eye injury.
At the same time, in Hebron, two Palestinians shot dead two Israeli soldiers on October 23. As a consequence of the retaliatory measures, some 3,000 Palestinians were forced to leave their homes, according to figures provided by the Hebron Municipality, which OCHA is in the process of verifying.
In the Gaza Strip, OCHA denounces the continuation of Israeli military attacks and the "intentional burning" of homes located near the Yellow Line, the front line agreed upon in the latest ceasefire and which keeps 60% of Gaza territory under Israeli control. In addition, the organization reports on "multiple attacks that have affected humanitarian operations" in the Palestinian enclave.