More troops to be sent to West Bank village besieged by Israeli settlers

More troops are being deployed to protect residents of a West Bank village besieged by Israeli settlers, according to reports. The isolated village, Qusra, has been under siege by settlers since Sunday, with Israeli forces cutting off their power and water supplies. The mayor of Qusra, Abdel Azim Wadi, confirmed that the village has been declared a closed military zone, and the Israeli military is using some of the vacated Palestinian houses as barracks.

The Israeli military stated that their aim is to protect the residents, while an Israeli spokesman condemned the settlers' actions as "deplorable" and "unacceptable." The Israeli army is investigating the incident and plans to arrest and prosecute those responsible. The settlers' actions are seen as a consequence of the rapid expansion of illegal settlements under the current Israeli government, which has led to an increase in settler violence.

More than 20 families have been forced to leave their homes, with some finding their residences destroyed upon their return. One family reported that soldiers broke into their home, stole their cash, and threw out their food supplies. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have dismantled two illegal outposts and detained one Israeli, though they have not addressed allegations of food theft and cash confiscation.

The situation in Qusra began when settlers blocked the road to the Palestinian families' gates and cut off their power and water supplies. Israeli soldiers have been seen praying with the settlers, an act that the IDF later said they would discipline. The mayor of Qusra has expressed concerns about the pattern of targeting his village, noting that a newly completed mosque was set on fire with Hebrew graffiti nearby in a previous settler attack.