Israeli forces shot and wounded Anadolu Agency (AA) Palestinian photojournalist Issam Rimawi with a rubber-coated bullet Saturday as he covered the olive harvest and confrontations between Palestinian farmers and Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
The incident occurred in Deir Nizam, near Ramallah, where farmers had appealed to activists for help harvesting their olives after attacks by Israeli settlers prevented them from reaching their land.
Following the appeal, farmers and a large group of activists headed to the olive groves to gather the crops. Israeli settlers subsequently arrived and attacked the Palestinians and activists, according to local reports.
Israeli soldiers later reached the scene and fired tear gas and rubber-coated bullets at the Palestinians, siding with the settlers, according to Palestinian accounts.
Rimawi, who was documenting the harvest and ensuing confrontations, was struck in his right calf by a rubber-coated bullet fired by Israeli soldiers. He was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Speaking after the shooting, Rimawi said a scuffle had broken out between Israeli settlers and Palestinians before Israeli forces arrived and intervened.
He said soldiers opened fire on the Palestinians despite journalists wearing clearly identifiable press vests and helmets.
The shooting occurred during the annual olive harvest, a vital source of income for Palestinian farming communities and an important part of their cultural heritage.
The season frequently brings heightened tensions as farmers face attacks, restrictions on access to their land and damage to their crops and trees.
Palestinian monitoring bodies have documented numerous attacks on farmers and agricultural property during the early stages of the 2026 harvest season.
Reported incidents include the destruction of olive trees, fires and intimidation aimed at preventing Palestinians from reaching their groves.
Damage to agricultural land has added to the pressures facing Palestinian farmers, many of whom depend on olive production for their livelihoods. Restrictions on access to farmland and settlement-related activities have further complicated harvesting efforts.
Rimawi, an experienced photojournalist who has covered events across the occupied West Bank for years, has previously been injured while reporting on protests and confrontations involving Israeli forces and settlers.
His latest injury highlights the dangers facing journalists covering violence and restrictions on Palestinian communities, particularly during the olive harvest.
Since October 2023, Israeli military operations and settler attacks have intensified across the occupied West Bank, resulting in rising casualties, widespread arrests and damage to Palestinian homes, farmland and other property.
Palestinian figures cited in reports put the number of Palestinians killed during that period at 1,210, with 13,350 injured and approximately 26,000 arrested.
The figures cover violence involving Israeli forces and settlers and reflect the broader escalation across the territory.
