Shocking security camera footage has emerged showing dozens of masked and armed Israeli settlers brutally assaulting an elderly Palestinian man in the occupied West Bank, amid growing concern over escalating settler violence in the region.
The footage, released by the Associated Press, captures the attack in the village of Deir Sharaf. The video shows a group of men, mostly dressed in black, chasing residents before surrounding and beating 67-year-old Basim Saleh Yassin.
Deaf victim unable to flee, witnesses say
According to witnesses quoted by Sky News, most villagers managed to flee after spotting the settlers approaching. However, Mr Yassin, who is deaf, could not hear warnings to escape and was left behind.
The footage shows him attempting to move away before falling to the ground. While he is kneeling, one settler is seen kicking him, while another repeatedly strikes him with what appears to be a stick. The attackers then disperse, leaving the elderly man injured.
Rising settler violence in West Bank
The incident is the latest in a series of attacks attributed to Israeli settlers across the West Bank. Human rights groups say such assaults increased sharply during the olive harvest season in October and early November and have continued since, becoming near-daily occurrences in some areas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously described those responsible for such attacks as “a handful of extremists” and has called on law enforcement agencies to prosecute them for taking the law into their own hands.
Rights groups dispute official stance
However, Palestinian officials and international human rights organisations argue that settler violence is systemic and widespread, accusing Israeli authorities of failing to adequately protect Palestinian civilians or hold perpetrators accountable.
The video has reignited global scrutiny of conditions in the occupied West Bank, with renewed calls for accountability and protection of vulnerable civilians amid ongoing tensions.