Updated

Armed Israeli settlers attacked and assaulted Palestinian farmers in the Wadi al-Shennar area east of Halhul, north of Hebron, in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian news agency Wafa reported Friday. Wafa said the settlers were protected by Israeli forces during the attack and that several farmers were detained as they attempted to reach their agricultural land. The incident is part of a pattern of repeated settler attacks in the area amid ongoing tensions over Palestinian access to farmland near Hebron. Palestinian officials and rights groups have long documented a rise in settler violence against farmers and herders across the West Bank, often occurring under the presence or protection of Israeli security forces.