Israeli settlers attack Palestinian woman and NBC News crew

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Flh25kzYFWo

An NBC News reporting team and a Palestinian woman they were interviewing were attacked by masked men identified by NBC as Israeli settlers while reporting in the West Bank.

The assault happened Saturday in the Palestinian town of Jalud, near Nablus, as NBC News international correspondent Matt Bradley was interviewing 51-year-old Aida Ahmed Abdullah about her family's claim that Israeli settlers had forced them from their home.

The attack was captured on camera, with footage showing a vehicle approaching the group before several masked men got out and began attacking them with rocks and wooden sticks.

Woman Knocked Unconscious

According to Bradley, the attackers struck members of the crew and smashed the windshield of their vehicle.

Abdullah was beaten and knocked unconscious during the assault. She was treated by the Palestinian Red Crescent and taken for medical care. Her injuries were described as non-life-threatening, and she has since been recovering.

Bradley said he was struck twice in the arm and was treated at a nearby clinic. Other members of the NBC team, including producer Lawahez Jabari and camera operator Khaldoon Eid, also suffered injuries.

Jabari said she saw one of the attackers carrying a firearm, although no shots were fired.

“They Jumped Out, Beat Us”

Bradley later described the frightening encounter, saying the attackers quickly emerged from the vehicle, assaulted the group and then fled.

The crew's camera continued recording during part of the attack, providing a disturbing look at the violence as the journalists attempted to protect themselves and check on Abdullah.

Despite the assault, Bradley and his team continued documenting what happened and later spoke publicly about the incident.

Netanyahu Condemns the Attack

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the violence in Jalud and nearby Qusra, calling the incidents criminal acts carried out by what he described as a small group of rioters.

The Israeli military said it had received reports of violent clashes in the area and that security forces intervened to protect residents and restore order.

The attack comes amid heightened tensions and continuing violence in the West Bank, where confrontations involving Israeli settlers and Palestinians have intensified.

NBC Team Recovering

The NBC News journalists were treated for their injuries and are recovering.

For Bradley and his colleagues, the incident became an unsettling reminder of the risks journalists face while reporting from areas experiencing intense conflict and political tension.

The attack also drew renewed attention to the safety of journalists working in the West Bank, where reporters frequently find themselves documenting confrontations between Palestinian residents, Israeli settlers and security forces.

Source: NBC News,