Palestinian families in the occupied West Bank village of Qusra remained confined to their homes on Thursday after illegal Israeli settlers blocked access to the properties and water and electricity supplies, according to residents and reports from the area.
The confrontation began on Sunday in Qusra, south of Nablus. Palestinian residents said settlers established a presence outside their homes and prevented people and supplies from reaching them.
Security camera footage reviewed by several news organisations showed settlers around the properties. The BBC reported that footage from Sunday showed settlers dismantling a wall outside one home and using stones to block a road.
The Abu Ridi and Hassan families have appealed for outside help as food and water supplies decline.
“We are living in our own home, on our own land, and we are asking for nothing more than the right to live safely and with dignity,” Qusay Abu Ridi wrote on Facebook.
The Guardian reported that a two-year-old girl became ill with vomiting and a fever on Monday but illegal settlers initially prevented an ambulance from reaching the home. An ambulance gained access on Tuesday, bringing supplies and evacuating the child for treatment.
Yousef Hassan told the Guardian that illegal settlers had thrown stones and shouted at the family during the night. His wife and two daughters later left the property.
Israeli forces intervened on Wednesday after senior military officers visited the area. Soldiers and border police removed a tent used by settlers and clashed with a group at the site.
The Israel Defence Forces condemned attempts to enter or seize Palestinian homes as “illegal, reprehensible and unacceptable”. The military also said personnel filmed supporting illegal settlers would face disciplinary action.
The IDF said Chief of the General Staff Eyal Zamir ordered an additional infantry battalion into the area to strengthen military control and prevent further incidents.
Residents said illegal settlers remained near the properties after security forces withdrew.
Al Jazeera reported that Palestinian-American Loai Ridi, whose relatives were among those inside the homes, said the family relied on a temporary solar power system and water stored from winter after supplies were cut.
“They are being harassed and attacked by the settlers,” he told Al Jazeera from the United States.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who has expressed support for illegal Israeli settlements in the past, described those surrounding the homes as “Israeli terrorists” in a social media post on Thursday.
Qusra lies in Area B of the West Bank, where the Palestinian Authority has civil responsibilities while Israel retains security control. The village has faced previous settler attacks. The UN documented the killing of a Palestinian in Qusra by illegal settlers in March 2026 and said settler violence across the occupied territory had intensified.
The latest incident follows a case in nearby Jalud in July, where illegal settlers surrounded a Palestinian property for more than two weeks before the residents left and settlers took control, according to the BBC and Guardian.
UN Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Ramiz Alakbarov told the Security Council this week that the West Bank had reached a “breaking point”.
UN figures show that about 3,800 Palestinians have been displaced by settler violence, demolitions and evictions in the West Bank during 2026. It also reported that 76 Palestinians, including 18 children, and three Israelis have been killed there this year.
Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967. Israeli settlements in occupied territory are regarded as illegal under international law. Israel disputes this position and says it has historical, biblical and legal claims to the territory. Israel’s UN ambassador, Danny Danon, told the Security Council this week that settlements would remain and continue to expand.
HT