Nablus: Illegal Israeli settlers destroyed hundreds of olive trees in the West Bank city of Nablus in the latest attack in the occupied territory, a local Palestinian official said Wednesday.

According to Anadolu Agency, Yousef Sadeq al-Haj, the acting chairman of Qaryut's local council, reported that Palestinian farmers in the village, southeast of Nablus, discovered hundreds of their trees uprooted or cut down upon returning to their lands after a two-year prohibition by the Israeli army. Haj mentioned that the farmers were dismayed to find the extensive damage to their olive trees.

The same devastation was observed in the western parts of the village once the landowners were permitted access to their lands last Wednesday, the official stated. Videos circulating on social media depict villagers examining their ruined olive groves, visibly distressed by the damage.

According to the official Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, the Israeli army and illegal settlers have conducted 259 attacks on Palestinians during the olive harvest season since last month. Israeli attacks have intensified across the occupied West Bank since October 2023, resulting in the deaths of over 1,065 Palestinians and injuring nearly 10,000 others, based on Palestinian data.

In a significant ruling last July, the International Court of Justice declared Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and urged the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.