Israeli settlers are blockading two Palestinian families in the West Bank
Israeli settlers have been blocking two Palestinian families in their homes in the village of Qusra near Nablus in the occupied West Bank since Sunday, according to BBC News. The Abu Ridi and Hassan families said their water and electricity have been cut off, their food supplies are running low, and they are unable to leave their homes.
Footage from a Palestinian security camera, shared by the BBC, shows settlers on Sunday evening demolishing a wall near the Abu Ridi family’s home and blocking the road with rocks. As a result, seven people, including two young girls, were unable to leave their homes, and other Palestinians could not reach them. Aisha Hassan told Reuters that the settlers tried to break down the gate, threw rocks, and verbally abused the residents.
Late Tuesday evening, a Palestinian ambulance crew was allowed to reach the families. They delivered food and took one child away for medical treatment. The Israeli human rights organization Yesh Din appealed to the commander of the Israeli Army’s Central Command, calling on him to protect the residents, evacuate the settlement outpost, and hold the settlers accountable.
For more breaking news, follow the UA.News Telegram channel.
The Israel Defense Forces stated that entering and seizing Palestinian homes is an illegal, shameful, and unacceptable act. According to the BBC, on Wednesday, Israeli security forces withdrew from the outpost after clashes with a large crowd of radical settlers; about a dozen settlers remained at the site. A video shared with the BBC shows Israeli soldiers and border police using tear gas and flash-bang grenades.
The Israeli army also reported that the border police evacuated the settlers’ tent and are working to remove the people who were there. It announced a decision to take disciplinary action against security personnel who had previously been seen at the scene. According to the BBC, the first soldiers to arrive after the Palestinians’ appeal were filmed praying alongside the settlers.
Ramiz Alakbarov, Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, told the UN Security Council that violence by settlers has reached unprecedented levels and that the situation in the West Bank is at a critical juncture. According to the UN, since the beginning of 2026, 76 Palestinians, including 18 children, have been killed in the West Bank as a result of actions by Israeli forces or settlers. During the same period, three Israelis, including one civilian, were killed in clashes with Palestinians and in a suspected hit-and-run incident.
