Israeli forces block activists from reaching besieged Palestinian homes in Qusra
Activists were stopped by Israeli soldiers from delivering supplies to three Palestinian families besieged by settlers in the West Bank village of Qusra.
In the occupied West Bank village of Qusra, a standoff entered its sixth day on Friday as three Palestinian families remained trapped inside their homes by extremist Israeli settlers. The siege began last Sunday when settlers surrounded the homes on a hill at the village's outskirts.
Israeli forces have periodically deployed to the area in an attempt to restore order, prompting the settlers to temporarily withdraw. However, each time the military pulled back to its base, the settlers returned and repositioned themselves around other parts of the village, according to activists on the ground.
The families inside the besieged homes have seen their food and water supplies dwindle. They are reportedly afraid to leave, fearing attacks by settlers or the possibility that their homes could be seized in their absence.
On Friday morning, a group of activists, including members of Rabbis for Human Rights and the Standing Together movement, marched toward the village in solidarity. They carried crates of water and bags of food but were blocked by a line of Israeli soldiers and military vehicles before they could reach the families.
The Israeli military said that when its personnel spoke with the families earlier in the week, the residents indicated they had sufficient provisions. However, Qusai Abu Rida, who is sheltering in his brother's home with his teenage son, said on Friday that supplies were running dangerously low.