Israeli occupation forces, settlers attack Palestinian farmers in Gaza and West Bank city of Al-Khalil

The Israeli occupation forces on Tuesday attacked Palestinian farmers in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Maan news Agency reported that the occupation forces positioned on the outskirts of the strip fired bullets and gas bombs at Palestinian farmers east of Khan Younis in the south of Gaza, forcing them to leave their fields.

Meantime, Israeli settlers also attacked farmers and herders in Khirbet Aqwewis in Masafer Yatta in the West Bank city of Al-Khalil, WAFA News Agency said citing one of the farmers.

Settlers from two Israeli settlements, built illegally on usurped Palestinian-owned land east of Yatta town, attacked the farmers with batons, insulted them and let their livestock graze on the Palestinian wheat and barley crops and olive seedlings, destroying the crops and the olive saplings, the farmer told WAFA.

Coordinator of the Popular Committees to Resist the Apartheid Wall and Settlements East of Yatta Ratib al-Jabour told WAFA that under the protection of the occupation forces, heavily armed Israeli settlers have escalated their attacks against Palestinians in Yatta town and in the villages in Masafer Yatta by attacking homes and structures, grazing their livestock on the crops, destroying electricity networks and stealing drinking water to force the Palestinians to leave their homes and lands in favor of settlement expansion.

Hamda Mustafa