Israeli army plans to deploy additional troops to the West Bank village of Qusra after settlers trapped two Palestinian families, cutting off power and water.
The Abu Ridi and Hassan families—lives on the outskirts of Qusra, south of Nablus—have appealed for help after their utilities were shut and food supplies dwindled. Video footage shows a bulldozer, a dozen Israeli security vehicles and a blocked road, signifying a siege that has left the villagers in a besieged military zone.
The Israeli military said that it will send extra troops to the area, following an earlier confrontation when priests were said to have prayed with the settlers—a gesture later condemned by the army. The operations aim to dismantle the blockade and restore services to the families.
Reports from local media say that a nearby Israeli settler outpost was demolished after the encounter. According to a spokesman for the US embassy, the incident was labelled “Israeli terrorists” and condemned as a “thuggish” act that must be stopped.
It is unclear why settlers occupy Qusra; historically, they have expelled Palestinian residents and seized property in neighbouring villages. Settlements are considered illegal under international law, yet Israel continues to expand them, citing historic, biblical and legal claims.
The United Nations figures show that 76 Palestinians—including 18 children—have been killed in the West Bank this year by Israeli forces or settlers, and that about 6,390 Palestinians have been displaced from 127 communities. Nearly half of the displaced are children.
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, dismissed the notion that settlements impede peace, stating the numbers would remain and continue to grow.
