Israeli settlers encircle three homes in Qusra, sparking international condemnation
For a week, Israeli settlers have surrounded three houses in Qusra, cutting off utilities and forcing residents into a single dwelling, prompting criticism from the UN and the Palestinian foreign ministry.
Since August 9, a group of Israeli settlers has laid claim to three homes in Qusra's Ras al-Ain area, cutting off water and electricity and leaving the occupants with dwindling supplies. About 15 members of the Abu Rida and Hassan families, among them two children under seven and a dual US citizen, were instructed by the Israeli military to abandon two houses and gather in the remaining one. On Thursday, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee labeled the besieging settlers as “Israeli terrorists.”
Both the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the blockade as criminal and inhumane. The Israeli army later designated the zone as a closed military area, restricting entry for Israeli and foreign activists. UN humanitarian officials managed to deliver limited aid after coordinating with the Israeli military. The incident reflects a broader pattern of settler aggression and land grabs across the occupied West Bank.
Why it matters
The siege highlights escalating settler violence and the humanitarian toll on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
How this story developed
- Jul 26 Israeli forces and settlers launch sweeping raids across West Bank after deadly Nablus shootout
- Aug 3 Gaza civilians say Donald Trump's announced plan to disarm Hamas and end the war feels out of touch as Israeli strikes kill dozens and expand occupied zones.
- Aug 5 The Israeli military began precision attacks in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, saying they responded to a Hezbollah breach after previously urging residents of Mansouri to evacuate.
- Aug 5 Hamas envoy says the disarmament pact was taken to safeguard Gaza’s population.
- Aug 6 Israel issued an evacuation order for Mansouri and began targeted strikes in southern Lebanon.
- Aug 7 Iran and Oman moved toward an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
- Aug 7 Settlers set fire to homes in Khirbet al‑Tuba, marking the latest incident in the ongoing wave of violence.
- Aug 13 Israel announced a plan to create a "Samaria" national park covering roughly 450 acres of olive‑grove land near Sebastia.
- Aug 16 Pope Leo called for an end to West Bank violence in a Sunday address.
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