Two Palestinian families in the occupied West Bank village of Qusra have been trapped in their homes since Sunday under a siege by Israeli settlers. The Abu Ridi and Hassan families reported that their food, water, and power supplies were running out, prompting urgent calls from human rights organizations for official intervention.
By Wednesday, Israeli security forces reportedly withdrew from the unauthorized Jewish settler outpost established in Qusra, located near Nablus, following active confrontations with a crowd of extremist settlers. Despite the military's actions, approximately a dozen settlers were reported to remain at the site.
The ordeal began on Sunday evening when security camera footage captured settlers dismantling a wall outside the Abu Ridi family home. The settlers used the displaced stones to block the road, leaving seven people—including two young girls—completely unable to leave their property, while preventing other Palestinians from reaching them. The properties are located in Area B, a section of the West Bank under Palestinian administrative control and Israeli security control.
Expressing the severity of their isolation, Qusay Abu Ridi posted an appeal on Facebook, describing the situation as critical. He emphasized that they were living in their own home on their own land, asking for nothing more than the right to live safely and with dignity. Aysha Hassan told Reuters that the settlers had attempted to break down their house gate, throwing stones, shouting curses, and insulting them, leaving the family extremely terrified and fearing for their lives.
When the Palestinian homeowners initially reported the situation to the Israeli military, the first soldiers to arrive at the scene were filmed praying alongside the settlers. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) later announced that disciplinary action would be taken against the security personnel involved in that documented incident.
Efforts to document the siege were also obstructed. On Monday, settlers blocked Israeli journalists from the left-leaning newspaper Haaretz from reaching the Palestinian properties. The reporters stated that Israeli soldiers present at the scene refused to assist them during the two hours their vehicle was blocked, claiming the area was a closed military zone—an order that was notably not enforced against the settlers.
On Tuesday, the Israeli human rights organization Yesh Din made an urgent appeal to the head of the Israeli military's Central Command, calling for the protection of the besieged residents, the evacuation of the settler outpost, and accountability for those responsible. Late that evening, a Palestinian ambulance was finally permitted to access the families, delivering essential food supplies and evacuating one child who required medical treatment.
Around the same time, the IDF issued a statement condemning the newly established outpost, declaring that entering and seizing Palestinian homes constitutes illegal, reprehensible, and unacceptable activity. Early Wednesday, the head of the Central Command, Maj Gen Avi Bluth, along with other senior officers, arrived at the scene to meet with residents and express grave concern over the situation.
Subsequent security camera footage shared online showed confrontations between Israeli soldiers, border police, and a large crowd of settlers. Security forces deployed tear gas and stun grenades during the clash. While the forces confiscated the canopy under which the settlers had sheltered, other equipment was left behind. The IDF stated that Border Police forces had evacuated the tent and were continuing efforts to evacuate the remaining civilians, noting that the incident was still ongoing.
The mayor of Qusra, Abdel Azim Wadi, stated that local residents have observed a clear and sustained pattern of targeting their village. He noted that just last month, a newly completed mosque was set on fire, with Hebrew graffiti sprayed nearby. That attack followed an earlier escalation in the nearby village of Tal, where settler violence triggered a clash that left six people dead, including four Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers, one of whom served as a security coordinator for a nearby settlement.
Mayor Wadi also recalled an incident in July where settlers surrounded a Palestinian home in the nearby village of Jalud for more than two weeks, eventually forcing the owners to flee and allowing settlers to permanently seize the property.
Addressing the UN Security Council on Tuesday, the UN's Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Ramiz Alakbarov, warned that settler violence has reached unprecedented levels, highlighting the severe human toll particularly in the Nablus Governorate. According to UN statistics, 76 Palestinians, including 18 children, have been killed in the West Bank this year by Israeli forces or settlers. In the same period, three Israelis, including one civilian, were killed in confrontations or alleged ramming attacks by Palestinians.
The UN further reported that since January 2023, 127 Palestinian communities in the West Bank have experienced full or partial displacement, with 47 entirely displaced, affecting over 6,390 people. In 2026, approximately 3,800 Palestinians, nearly half of whom are children, have been displaced due to settler violence, demolitions, and evictions.
In response to these concerns at the UN meeting, Israel's Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, rejected the assertion that settlements present an obstacle to peace. Asserting biblical, historic, and legal rights to the land, Danon stated that the settlements would continue to grow, declaring to the Security Council that Israeli residents are not going anywhere.
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Md. Kazi Bijoy is a dedicated tech enthusiast and content creator with a passion for digital innovation. With years of experience in the tech industry, he specializes in breaking down complex topics into easy-to-understand guides. When he isn’t writing, he explores the latest gadgets and researches emerging trends in the digital world.