Israeli Troops Enter Qusra Homes as Settler Siege Intensifies

Israeli troops took up positions inside Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank village of Qusra on Thursday, according to local officials and residents, as a settler siege that has trapped several Palestinian families entered another tense phase.

The confrontation began over the weekend when Jewish settlers blocked access to three Palestinian homes on the outskirts of Qusra. Residents said the settlers set up a tent in front of the properties, preventing families and visitors from entering or leaving. Electricity and water supplies were also cut off, leaving those inside increasingly dependent on limited provisions.

By Thursday evening, Israeli soldiers were positioned in three homes in Qusra, including one of the houses surrounded by settlers and two others closer to the village center. Residents said military operations could continue until Sunday.

The Israeli military said troops were deployed to protect residents and maintain security, adding that Qusra residents had been instructed to remain inside their homes. It also said soldiers would not operate inside one Palestinian family home near the site where the settlers' tent had been dismantled.

The United Nations said around 15 Palestinians, including two children, were trapped without water or electricity. Families reported running low on food and other essentials while accusing settlers of damaging property, throwing stones and verbally harassing residents.

Loui Ridi, a Palestinian-American whose brother is among those affected, said he felt helpless while monitoring the situation from Ohio through security cameras at his family home. He said the cameras were later removed and expressed fears for his family's safety.

The incident has increased pressure on Israeli authorities to prevent unauthorized settler land seizures in the West Bank. The government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has overseen continued settlement expansion, while Palestinians and rights groups accuse authorities of failing to stop settler violence.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee condemned the actions against the affected families, calling them criminal and saying Israeli security forces had been asked to intervene.

The West Bank, captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war, is home to roughly three million Palestinians and more than 500,000 Israeli settlers. Settlement watchdog Peace Now says the territory contains about 146 settlements and hundreds of smaller outposts.