Illegal Israeli settlers on Saturday attacked and injured a Palestinian shepherd while herding in the open pastures in Masafer Yatta in the south of the West Bank, local activist sources reported.

Fouad al-Imour, an activist with a local steadfast committee, said settlers assaulted the shepherd, Hamza Ahmad Najjar, while attending to his sheep near Shaab al-Batam community and beat him up causing bruises.

Najjar was taken to a clinic nearby for treatment, he said.

Settlers, protected by soldiers, regularly attack Palestinian shepherds in Masafer Yatta and force them to leave the pastures while they let their herd free to roam the pastures and even cultivate Palestinian farmlands in order to destroy them as part of their plans to forcibly drive the Palestinians out of Masafer Yatta.