Israeli forces block activists from reaching besieged Qusra families

What the report says

Israeli forces stopped Israeli and foreign activists from reaching Palestinian families in the occupied West Bank village of Qusra, south of Nablus, after settlers surrounded three homes in the Ras al-Ain area for nearly a week, Al Jazeera reported on Friday, August 14, 2026. The activists were reportedly trying to deliver food and water to the residents, while soldiers reinforced the area and declared it a closed military zone.

According to Al Jazeera and the Palestinian news agency Wafa, the families had been cut off from basic supplies after settlers blocked roads with stones, set up a tent nearby and prevented residents from moving freely. Water and electricity to the homes were also cut. The United Nations said about 15 Palestinians, including two children, were trapped in the homes and were unable to meet basic needs.

Qusra Mayor Abdel Azim Wadi said Italian activists who had reached the homes earlier in the week were ordered to leave. Al Jazeera also reported that settlers again tried to place a tent near the homes on Friday before Israeli forces removed it. The residents had previously refused an order to leave temporarily, saying they feared losing their homes if they did so.

The episode comes amid broader concerns about settler violence in Qusra, which the UN has identified as one of the hardest-hit communities in the northern occupied West Bank. Separately, Al Jazeera noted debate over an Israeli plan to shift some civilian-law enforcement responsibilities involving settlers from the military to the police, though analysts quoted in the report questioned whether that would change conditions on the ground.