Armed Israeli settlers attack activists and journalists in West Bank

Russian activist Adel Shuko said armed Israeli settlers attacked her, American journalist Jasper Nathaniel, and Russian-Israeli activist Andrey Eks in the village of Um al-Khair in the Masafer Yatta area in the southern occupied West Bank.

Shuko wrote on the X platform that she and Nathaniel were also beaten, and that Nathaniel was sprayed with pepper spray before being arrested by Israeli forces. She added that the armed settlers beat Andrey Eks repeatedly, knocking him unconscious multiple times, then prevented him from receiving hospital treatment, placing him in an ambulance that was taken to a police station instead of a hospital. She stated: "He was detained and remains in custody, deprived of medical care."

Shuko posted video clips showing a number of men — some armed — attacking Nathaniel and Andrey Eks, while another clip showed Israeli forces leading Nathaniel away as he shouted that he had just been beaten.

This incident comes after a similar attack on October 16 in the village of Abu Falaah northeast of Ramallah, where masked Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian farmers who were picking olives, burned trees, and threw rocks with slingshots.

In that attack, Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine — who was wearing a protective vest with "PRESS" written on it — was repeatedly beaten and robbed, with settlers stealing her passport, phone, and equipment before she was taken to a hospital. A Palestinian was shot in the leg when Israeli troops opened fire with live ammunition and tear gas at the location. Washington Post Executive Editor Matt Murray condemned "the unjustified attack on a journalist performing her duties," while several American lawmakers called for an investigation and an end to settler violence in the area.