Israeli settlers surround Palestinian homes in Qusra, cutting off utilities

Israeli settlers have surrounded three homes in the West Bank village of Qusra, cutting off water and electricity and blocking all entrances since Sunday, according to residents. The families, including Aisha Abu Rida and her relatives, said they are relying on a temporary solar system and stored well water as supplies dwindle.

"We are surrounded by settlers, but we are steadfast, God willing. We will not leave our home, no matter what happens," said Aisha Abu Rida.

American-Palestinian Loai Ridi, whose brother and nephew are among those trapped, said Israeli soldiers did not intervene when the siege began and that footage showed troops kneeling with settlers. He added that later Israeli forces dismantled a settler tent and clashed with about 50 to 60 settlers before withdrawing.

The Israeli military announced it would deploy an additional infantry battalion to the area and that its chief of staff ordered continued efforts to strengthen order and operational control. A day earlier the army had described recent settler incursions as “illegal, reprehensible and unacceptable” and said disciplinary action would be taken against security personnel filmed at the site.

Qusra, located in Area B of the occupied West Bank, has experienced a series of attacks, including the recent burning of a mosque and a similar two-week siege in nearby Jalud that forced families off their land. The United Nations has warned that violence and land seizures in the territory have reached a “breaking point,” citing hundreds of Palestinian casualties and displacements linked to settler activity this year.