Israeli army to send more troops to Qusra blockade

The Israeli military said Wednesday it would send more troops to Qusra in the occupied West Bank after settlers remained outside Palestinian homes despite an army attempt to end a blockade.

The siege began on Sunday, when settlers set up a makeshift tent near homes in the Palestinian village south of Nablus and blocked essential supplies from entering.

Qusai Abu Rida, a Palestinian trapped inside one of the houses, told AFP by telephone that residents had received no food or medicine and had electricity only because of solar panels.

The Israeli military condemned the settlers' actions, declared the area a closed military zone and removed the tent on Wednesday morning. By mid-afternoon, an AFP photographer at the scene said the tent had been removed and the military had left, but the settlers were still there.

Abu Rida said the settlers had chairs and blankets and that residents remained besieged at their doorstep.

The military later said it would send an additional infantry battalion and keep more soldiers on standby. It said the chief of the general staff had directed continued efforts to strengthen order and operational control in the area and prevent further serious incidents.

A day earlier, the military said it had received reports of settlers entering and taking control of Palestinian homes and land in the area. It called the activity illegal and unacceptable, and said disciplinary action would be taken against security personnel filmed at the site days earlier.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967. More than 500,000 Israelis live in settlements in the territory among about three million Palestinians; the settlements are considered illegal under international law.

According to an AFP tally based on Palestinian health ministry data, Israeli soldiers or settlers have killed at least 1,097 Palestinians in the West Bank, including militants and civilians, since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023. Israeli figures show at least 48 Israelis, including civilians and security personnel, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations in the same period.