Israeli settlers have blocked access to and cut power and water from Palestinian homes in Qusra since Sunday, trapping two families inside. Activists tried to deliver food and water but say Israeli forces stopped them from handing supplies directly to residents, leaving them outside instead; the IDF denies this.
On Thursday, roughly a dozen Palestinian households, including the Abu Ridi and Hassan families, were told to leave their properties during an operation ostensibly meant to disperse the settlers, and the mayor says Israeli forces are now using some of the vacated homes as barracks. Settlers returned Friday to pitch a tent near the site, which was later removed.
Earlier in the week, Israeli soldiers who first arrived at the scene prayed alongside the settlers rather than confronting them, an act the military says will result in discipline. The UN says nearly 3,800 Palestinians have been displaced by settler violence, demolitions and evictions in 2026 alone, with settlements illegal under international law despite ongoing government-backed expansion.
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