Israeli settlers have surrounded three Palestinian families in their homes in the West Bank village of Qusra since Sunday, blocking access and cutting off water and electricity, according to residents. The families, who remain inside their properties, told Al Jazeera the actions were an attempt to force them from their land.
The incident began on Sunday in the village, located south of Nablus. Aisha Abu Rida, a resident of one of the homes, said settlers blocked all entrances. “We are surrounded by settlers, but we are steadfast, God willing,” she told Al Jazeera. “We will not leave our home, no matter what happens.”
Loai Ridi, a Palestinian-American who owns one of the houses, stated from his home in Toledo, Ohio, that his brother and 18-year-old nephew were among those inside. He said the family was using a temporary solar power system and had limited supplies. “He does not want to leave the home,” Ridi said. “Because if he leaves the home, the settlers will take over immediately.”
On Wednesday, the Israeli military arrived at the location, dismantled a tent the settlers had erected, and engaged in confrontations with the group before withdrawing from the immediate area, according to reports.
In a statement released later that day, the Israeli military described the settlers’ activity as “illegal, reprehensible and unacceptable.” The military announced it would deploy an additional infantry battalion to the region and said disciplinary action would be taken against security personnel who had been filmed at the site in previous days.
The incident in Qusra, which is in Area B of the West Bank under joint Israeli-Palestinian administration, follows other recent events in the region. The United Nations has documented an increase in confrontations and displacements.
On Tuesday, Ramiz Alakbarov, the U.N.’s Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, reported that the organization had recorded more than 1,430 settler attacks in 2026 that resulted in casualties or property damage. According to U.N. figures for the year, 76 Palestinians, including 18 children, have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the occupied West Bank. The U.N. also reported that approximately 3,800 Palestinians have been displaced.
Alakbarov further noted that Israeli authorities have advanced or approved plans for roughly 12,360 new housing units in West Bank settlements in 2026. Settlements in the occupied West Bank are considered illegal under international law, a position the Israeli government disputes.
The Israeli human rights organization Breaking the Silence commented on the situation on the social media platform X. The group stated that such actions by settlers would not be “possible without the [Israeli] army’s support.”
