LONDON: Israeli settlers have carried out at least 482 attacks in October targeting the olive harvest across nine West Bank governorates, according to the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission.

The report outlined restrictions imposed by the Israeli military that significantly hindered farmers’ access to their lands amid ongoing settler attacks on olive groves, according to the Palestine News Agency.

“Targeting the olive harvest has become a recurring tactic to disrupt Palestinian cultivation and undermine their presence, particularly in areas adjacent to colonies and colonial outposts,” the Palestinian Authority-affiliated commission said.

October traditionally marks the start of the harvest for Palestinians, many of whom regard olive trees as a national and cultural symbol.

The Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture reported this month that more than 98,000 olive trees had been damaged in the West Bank over the past three years due to Israeli policies and violent actions by settlers, resulting in a financial loss for farmers of $66 million.