Violent Assault on Aid Worker
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has issued a strong condemnation regarding the escalating violence perpetrated by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. The organization confirmed that one of its staff members suffered severe injuries during an assault carried out by settlers in his village located in the southern part of the West Bank on October 15.
In a statement released following the incident, MSF detailed that the employee was struck by a hand-sized stone launched from a slingshot, necessitating immediate medical attention. The organization emphasized that this attack is part of a broader pattern of increasing violence, intimidation, and insecurity faced by Palestinians over recent months.
Details of the Attack
According to the injured worker’s account, approximately 20 settlers descended from nearby hills to attack the village residents, with additional armed individuals joining them shortly after. The attackers were equipped with clubs, rifles, sound grenades, and slingshots. The settler group utilized sound grenades and warning shots to advance into the village and displace Palestinian inhabitants. MSF characterized the operation as deliberate.
The organization stressed that the incident is not isolated. Palestinians in the Hebron governorate and other areas across the West Bank have endured a surge in random attacks and harassment in recent months, compounded by tightening restrictions on movement and access to essential services.
Obstacles to Medical Care
MSF highlighted that the violence inflicted upon its employee, barriers preventing access to medical care, and constraints imposed on Palestinians are not accidental occurrences. Instead, they constitute elements of an Israeli policy that undermines the safety of the population, their freedom of movement, and their right to access healthcare and live with dignity.
The attack occurred in a zone subject to widespread closures and road restrictions justified by Israeli military activity. These restrictions hindered the arrival of an ambulance to the victim due to unpaved roads. Consequently, the injured man was transported via a private vehicle to meet the ambulance, which then took him to a clinic before transferring him to a hospital for continued treatment.
Broader Context
MSF denounced all attacks targeting civilians, calling for the protection of Palestinians, patients, and healthcare workers, while ensuring their safe access to medical services. This escalation coincides with the war in Gaza since October 2023, marked by intensified actions by the Israeli army and settlers, including killings, arrests, displacement, home demolitions, land confiscation, and settlement expansion.
Palestinian data indicates the presence of approximately 750 thousand settlers in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, distributed across 194 settlements and roughly 400 outposts.
