{
  "id": 1270225,
  "title": "Trapped and cut off: Palestinian families under settler siege in the West Bank",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/trapped-and-cut-off-palestinian-families-under-settler-siege-in-the",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-16T12:21:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Egypt Independent",
    "slug": "egypt-independent",
    "url": "https://www.egyptindependent.com/trapped-and-cut-off-palestinian-families-under-settler-siege-in-the-west-bank/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Qusra, West Bank — Loui Ridi, an Israeli citizen, constructed a home for his two daughters in their ancestral town of Qusra, in the occupied West Bank. The girls, who spent a significant portion of their childhood in Ohio, developed a deep love for their father's Palestinian roots. Ridi shared his wish with his daughters that one day they could live in a house where their grandmother resided, a place where they were born and raised. Unfortunately, this dream is now in jeopardy as a group of Israeli settlers have laid siege to the hilltop where Ridi's home and two other houses are located, with the intention of evicting the Palestinian residents. Settlers have erected a tent, severed the water and electricity lines, and blocked the roads, preventing anyone from reaching the residents. Trapped within the confines of the hilltop are Ridi's brother, Qusai, and Qusai's son, left with only enough provisions to last two to three more days. Qusai, surrounded by the settlers, firmly declared that they would not relinquish their home and would not leave, even if they had to resort to consuming saltwater and if there was no bread left. Israeli soldiers are stationed outside the Palestinian house in Qusra, overlooking the scene. A photograph of the situation, taken by Zain Jaafar of AFP/Getty Images on August 13, captures the tension between the settlers and the soldiers. Ridi patiently awaited news from his brother, who was unable to communicate directly due to his location at the bottom of the hill. Initial attempts to intervene on behalf of the Palestinians were met with resistance. Israeli soldiers arrived on Wednesday, welcomed the settlers, and even joined them in prayer. Despite Israeli authorities' responsibility for security in the West Bank, soldiers and border police dismantled the settlers' tent and attempted to remove them from the area. However, their efforts were thwarted as additional settlers arrived, obstructed the roads with boulders, and hurled rocks at the security forces. The soldiers responded by firing sound grenades and spraying the settlers with pepper spray before retreating. Upon arriving at the scene hours later, the reporter was met by two Israeli soldiers, who were accompanied by several settlers. The soldiers informed the reporter that the area was a closed military zone, and that they were interfering with ongoing military activities. Despite this order applying to both settlers and Palestinians, the rule has been consistently enforced against Palestinians, Israeli human rights activists, and journalists attempting to reach the hilltop. Unable to reach Qusai, the reporter spoke with him via video call from below the hill. Qusai conveyed the settlers' determination, stating that they are formidable adversaries, and their persistence makes it unlikely that they will leave the hilltop so easily.",
  "summary": "Qusra, West Bank — Loui Ridi began building a home in his native town of Qusra, in the occupied West Bank, for his two daughters. The girls grew up in Ohio, but family trips made them fall in love with their father’s Palestinian roots. “Can we have a home where grandmother lives, where you were born … The post Trapped and cut off: Palestinian families under settler siege in the West Bank appeared…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Pope calls for an end to West Bank violence against Palestinians",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/pope-calls-for-an-end-to-west-bank-violence-against-palestinians-1270494",
        "published": "2026-08-16T12:38:43.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al-Monitor",
        "title": "Pope calls for an end to West Bank violence against Palestinians",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/pope-calls-for-an-end-to-west-bank-violence-against-palestinians",
        "published": "2026-08-16T12:46:40.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}