Activists have tried to deliver supplies to Palestinians whose homes in the occupied West Bank have been besieged for days by Israeli settlers.
The group left water and food near one of the houses in Qusra where two Palestinian families have been trapped since Sunday, after their power and water supplies were cut off.
Two residents testified that Israeli forces had prevented the activists from delivering aid directly, forcing the aid to be left outside. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) denied that civilians were prevented from entering the homes but insisted the area was a “closed military zone.”
On Friday, a number of settlers erected a tent near the besieged house, a day after an operation to disperse them. The IDF removed the tent while claiming to protect local residents.
Israeli soldiers had previously opposed the settler encampment, and first‑hand security camera footage shows encounters where tear gas and stun grenades were deployed.
While the settlers’ motives remain unclear, they have previously forced Palestinians to abandon homes and seized property. The Israeli government continues to expand settlements in the West Bank, a move deemed illegal under international law.
According to UN figures, since January 2023, 127 Palestinian communities have experienced displacement, affecting more than 6,390 Palestinians. In 2026, roughly 3,800 Palestinians were displaced by settler violence, demolitions, and evictions, with almost half being children.
