Israeli settlers besieging Palestinian families in West Bank village

Israeli settlers have been besieging two Palestinian families in their homes in the West Bank village of Qusra near Nablus since Sunday. The families, the Abu Ridi and Hassan, reported to the Israeli army that their water and power supplies were cut off, and their food stocks were running low. The latest developments come as a top UN official warned that the West Bank is at breaking point.

The settlers are occupying a Jewish outpost in the village, despite the illegality of settlements under international law. Palestinian security camera footage shows settlers tearing down a wall and using the stones to block the road, leaving seven people, including two young girls, unable to leave their homes. Israeli security forces were reported to have withdrawn from the outpost on Wednesday following clashes with extremist settlers, but about a dozen settlers are said to remain at the site.

The families have been appealing for help on social media, posting pictures of their dwindling resources and desperate situation. Palestinian security camera footage also shows settlers destroying a mosque and targeting other Palestinian properties. The UN has called for the Israeli military to protect the besieged residents and evacuate the settlers' outpost, while Israel's Ambassador to the UN dismissed the idea that settlements pose an obstacle to peace.