IDF said to evacuate Palestinian homes in West Bank’s Qusra as settler squatters stay put

Israeli settlers have been blockading the homes of Palestinian families in the village of Qusra, in the occupied West Bank. According to the Associated Press, the siege has been ongoing since Sunday, with settlers throwing stones, attempting to bring down a stone wall, and preventing occupants from leaving despite dwindling supplies. The homes belong to an American Palestinian family, and US Ambassador Mike Huckabee has condemned the actions as a "horrific act of terror" and "criminal".

The Israeli military has intervened, with Haaretz and France 24 reporting that they were called in by the US embassy. Israel's military evacuated at least one of the homes, with the owner’s brother and teenage son being taken out, according to the Associated Press. However, Al Jazeera reports that settlers have blocked the homes of three Palestinian families, cutting them off from food and supplies.

The Times of Israel notes that the IDF demolished illegal structures in the area, but residents remain scared to leave their homes. The situation remains tense, with the fate of the properties and those targeted still unclear.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Times of Israel, Associated Press, France 24, Al Jazeera, Haaretz — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.