Israeli soldiers, following a blockade by settlers, entered Qusra in the West Bank and ordered about a dozen Palestinian households to leave their homes. The military operation, which the IDF claims is aimed at "protecting the residents", coincided with settlers cutting off electricity and water for three houses on Sunday and Saturday.
For the residents, the move was more than administrative. In Qusra’s central neighbourhood, settler forces placed guard posts and reportedly forced residents out of three homes, many of which were subsequently occupied by Israeli soldiers as temporary barracks. The mayor of Qusra, Abdel Azim Wadi, stated the village was declared a closed military zone, and the local community was told to vacate during an overnight operation that triggered a wave of violence.
The evacuation was accompanied by an escalation in settler aggression. Photographs circulated by the BBC show more than 20 soldiers entering a family home, shattering doors and confiscating belongings. One resident, Qaher Odeh, recounted that the soldiers raised a flag and a tear gas canister in the courtyard, “facing us with a clear threat” before the homes were sealed off. Families were allowed to return after ten hours to find their houses ransacked, with food and personal property discarded, and cash taken. The IDF denied any wrongdoing, claiming they instructed soldiers that the Qusra residents should not be evicted, and that they would guard the inhabitants’ safety.
The incident follows a pattern of Israeli settler violence across the West Bank. In the months leading up to August, reports from the United Nations cited at least 76 Palestinian casualties in the region, with 18 children among those killed. UN data also indicate that 127 communities in the West Bank have experienced full or partial displacement since January 2023, affecting more than 6,390 Palestinians, and in 2026 over 3,800 were displaced due to settler violence, demolition, and evictions. Such statistics highlight a broader trend of settler settlement expansion under Israeli governmental support, despite international legal prohibitions on occupying settlements.
The IDF claims they dismantled two illegal outposts in the Qusra area and detained an Israeli settler, confiscating equipment nearby. An Israeli spokesperson labelled the settler action as "deplorable" and "unacceptable", pledging an investigation and prosecution of the perpetrators. However, the military has not provided transparent evidence regarding the nature of the incursion or the identity of the settlers involved.
This episode is the latest chapter in Qusra’s ongoing struggle. Earlier in the week, a newly completed mosque was set on fire, and alarming graffiti in Hebrew was sprayed nearby. The village’s mayor noted repeated targeting, underscoring a clear and sustained pattern of attack that culminated in the most recent round of violence.
