‘Water and salt’: Qusra residents trapped in Israeli settler siege

Palestinians in Qusra, a town south of Nablus, are enduring a severe humanitarian crisis as a siege by Israeli settlers and soldiers enters its second week. Fifteen residents, including two children, are confined to three homes in the Ras al-Ain area, surrounded by armed settlers and military forces.

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We were unable to restore electricity and water to the three besieged homes in the town.

The families are completely cut off from essential supplies, lacking access to food, water, and electricity. The United Nations described the situation as one where residents are "trapped inside their homes in a state of terror, unable to attend to their basic needs and without access to water or electricity."

Compounding the crisis, the Israeli army intercepted a UNICEF aid convoy on Sunday. While two vehicles managed to deliver some food, military forces prevented a water tanker from reaching the besieged homes, prolonging the deprivation of basic resources. The previous day, settlers attacked municipal workers who were attempting to repair utility lines.

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Humanely, we have often heard about human rights, about children’s rights, and about women’s rights, but today what our families in Jabal Ras al-Ain are experiencing is truly stripped of humanity.

Qusra Mayor Abdel Azim Wadi highlighted the dire circumstances, stating, "Humanely, we have often heard about human rights, about children’s rights, and about women’s rights, but today what our families in Jabal Ras al-Ain are experiencing is truly stripped of humanity." Al Jazeera reported that the Israeli army is actively supporting the settlers in enforcing the blockade, creating a "continuous siege operation."

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The Israeli army is the one providing this support to these settlers, and the Israeli army is moving in the area with the participation of settlers who are trying to distance Palestinians and expel them from their homes.

Despite the military declaring the area a closed military zone and converting a home into barracks, residents remain defiant. However, the military has refused to act on eviction orders against an illegal outpost established by the Hilltop Youth militia, from which the settlers are operating.

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We are talking about continuous siege operations that completely tighten the stranglehold on the Palestinians.