More troops to be sent to West Bank village besieged by Israeli settlers
The Israeli military will deploy additional troops to the occupied West Bank after failing to force away Israeli settlers who have trapped two Palestinian families.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Israeli military to send more troops after failing to clear out settlers
- Abu Ridi and Hassan families trapped with power and water cut off since Sunday
- US Ambassador Mike Huckabee condemns the actions as terrorism
- UN reports thousands of Palestinians displaced amid rising violence
The Israeli military has announced plans to deploy additional troops to the occupied West Bank following a failed operation on Wednesday to dislodge Israeli settlers who have besieged the homes of two Palestinian families since Sunday.
The Abu Ridi and Hassan families, residing on the outskirts of Qusra village south of Nablus, appealed for urgent assistance after food stocks dwindled and their water and electricity supplies were completely cut off by the settlers.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The incident has drawn renewed attention to the relative impunity enjoyed by settlers and the struggles faced by Israeli forces in curbing escalating violence. Overnight footage shared from the area showed a dozen security vehicles, including a bulldozer, operating in the zone designated as a closed military area.
Qusay Abu Ridi, trapped inside his home with relatives, told the BBC that the property had faced renewed attacks overnight and that a few settlers remained hiding in the surrounding area to evade the army. His brother, the property owner, is a Palestinian-American businessman who lodged a complaint with the US embassy.
"Actions by those who carried out this horrific act of terror meant to intimidate and harass this family are disgusting. No excuse for such thuggish behavior."
Mike Huckabee, US Ambassador to Israel
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee took to platform X to state that his embassy had requested Israel to remove the settlers, while explicitly describing them as Israeli terrorists.
The ongoing friction in the West Bank reflects deep-rooted geopolitical tensions regarding Israeli settlements, which are considered illegal under international law despite government-backed expansion. Incidents involving the displacement of local residents and village blockades continue to be a major flashpoint monitored closely by international human rights bodies.
Qusra village mayor Abdel Azim Wadi told the BBC that residents had witnessed a sustained pattern of targeting their community, pointing to a previous incident last month where a newly built mosque was torched. According to UN figures, approximately 3,800 Palestinians have been displaced in 2026 alone due to settler violence, demolitions, and evictions.
Source: BBC World
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