Activists try to deliver aid to Palestinians in homes besieged by Israeli settlers

Activists have attempted to deliver aid to Palestinians whose homes in the West Bank have been besieged by Israeli settlers for several days. They left supplies near one house in Qusra, where two Palestinian families have been trapped since Sunday as power and water were cut off. However, Israeli forces prevented the activists from directly delivering the aid, forcing them to place it outside.

The IDF denied these allegations. On Friday, settlers returned to set up a tent near the site, later removed by Israeli forces. The IDF stated Qusra was a closed military zone, barring Israeli civilians - including activists - from entering. Despite this, they managed to transfer aid to the Palestinian homes in Qusra. Approximately a dozen Palestinian households were told to vacate their properties during a previous operation to disperse settlers, including members of the Abu Ridi and Hassan families from two of their three besieged homes.

Qusra Mayor Abdul Azim Wadi alleged that Israeli forces were using some of the vacated Palestinian houses as barracks. The Israeli military claimed the purpose was to protect residents and instructed soldiers to ensure the Qusra residents remained in their homes. The Israeli military previously called the settlers' actions "deplorable" and "unacceptable," promising an investigation and arrests for those responsible.

The conflict in Qusra started when settlers blocked the road to the Palestinian families' gates, cutting off their power and water supplies. Initial Israeli soldiers who arrived at the site prayed with the settlers, an act for which the military said they would face discipline. A security forces attempt to dislodge the settlers on Wednesday led to confrontations involving Israeli soldiers, border police, and a large crowd of settlers.

Tear gas and stun grenades were used by security forces. The settlers' motivations remain unclear, but they have a history of forcing Palestinians out of their homes and seizing their properties, aiming to empty the area of Palestinians. Settlements are illegal under international law, yet the Israeli government has encouraged their rapid expansion.

This case highlights the impunity of settlers and the challenges Israeli forces face in dealing with increasing settler violence. Since January 2023, 127 Palestinian communities in the West Bank have experienced full or partial displacement, including 47 entirely displaced, affecting over 6,390 Palestinians. The UN registered that in 2026, about 3,800 Palestinians were displaced due to settler violence, demolitions, and evictions - nearly half of them children.