Israeli settlers besiege Palestinian families in West Bank village

Two Palestinian families in the occupied West Bank say they have been trapped inside their homes for days as Israeli settlers block access to their properties, cut off essential supplies and prevent them from leaving.

Families trapped in their homes

The Abu Ridi and Hassan families have been surrounded at their homes in Qusra, near Nablus, since Sunday.

The families say their water and electricity supplies were cut off and their food was running low. Seven people, including two young girls, have been unable to leave their homes after settlers reportedly used stones to block the road outside.

Calls for urgent intervention

The families have appealed for help on social media, describing the situation as critical.

Qusay Abu Ridi said his family was isolated despite being on their own land and appealed for the right to live safely and with dignity.

Aysha Hassan said settlers attempted to force their way through the family’s gate and threw stones while verbally abusing them. She described her family as extremely frightened.

Security forces confront settlers

Israeli security forces were reported to have withdrawn from a nearby settler outpost on Wednesday following clashes with a larger group of settlers.

Around a dozen settlers were reportedly still at the site.

Footage shared with the BBC showed Israeli soldiers and border police confronting settlers, with security forces using tear gas and stun grenades. Authorities also removed a tent being used by the settlers.

The Israel Defense Forces said establishing the outpost and entering Palestinian homes was “illegal, reprehensible, and unacceptable”.

Ambulance finally reaches families

A Palestinian ambulance was eventually allowed to reach the families late Tuesday.

It delivered food and transported one child away for medical treatment, providing some relief to residents who had been isolated for several days.

Rights group Yesh Din had earlier called on Israel’s military authorities to protect the families, remove the settlers and hold those responsible accountable.

UN warns of worsening violence

The incident comes amid growing international concern over violence in the occupied West Bank.

UN Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Ramiz Alakbarov told the Security Council that the West Bank was “at breaking point” and warned that settler violence had reached unprecedented levels.

The UN says dozens of Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank this year, while thousands have been displaced by settler violence, demolitions and evictions.

Qusra faces repeated attacks

Residents of Qusra say the latest confrontation is part of a wider pattern of attacks against the village.

Last month, a newly completed mosque was set on fire and Hebrew graffiti was reportedly found nearby.

The village has also experienced previous confrontations involving settlers and Palestinians, contributing to heightened tensions in the Nablus area.

Israel rejects criticism

Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, rejected claims that settlements are an obstacle to peace.

He said Israel would continue to maintain and expand settlements, arguing that the country has historical, biblical and legal claims to the territory.

The latest confrontation has nevertheless renewed concerns about the safety of Palestinian communities and the growing displacement and violence across the West Bank.