11 Days Under Siege.. Families Face the Risk of Running Out of Food and Medicine
For the eleventh consecutive day, Israeli settlers continue to besiege three Palestinian homes in the town of Qusra, south of Nablus in the West Bank, amid the deployment of Israeli army forces, at a time when concerns are growing over the safety of the besieged residents, with restrictions on their movement continuing and calls intensifying for urgent intervention to end the siege.
Qusra Mayor “Abdel Azim Al-Wadi” said in exclusive statements to “Al Arabiya.net/Al Hadath.net” that 10 Palestinians, including two girls aged 3 and 4, remain inside the three besieged homes, warning that their available food supplies could run out today or tomorrow at the latest, in addition to concerns over running out of medicine.
“Al-Wadi” stated that the latest contact with the besieged families took place this morning, after they informed him that their available food supplies were nearly exhausted, noting that there is a 61-year-old woman who suffers from a health problem and requires suitable food that does not rely on canned goods.
He added that the municipality is coordinating with a number of organizations in an attempt to deliver quantities of food to the homes. It also submitted a request through the Palestinian Civil Coordination to be forwarded to the Israeli side, but approval to bring in the food has not yet been issued.
Al-Wadi noted that “UNICEF” had managed several days ago to deliver some supplies and medicines to the besieged families, but they were limited quantities, and the siege was not expected to continue into its eleventh day. He said that residents of the town feel “ashamed” of their inability to deliver food and medicine to their families, calling for urgent political, diplomatic, and humanitarian action to end the siege.
Repeated Attacks and a Tense Security Situation
The mayor explained that the siege comes in the context of repeated attacks carried out by settlers against homes and residents in the Jabal Ras Al-Ain area, with the aim of pressuring the families and, in his assessment, pushing them to leave the area.
He noted that the number of settlers deployed near the besieged homes changes continuously, sometimes ranging from around 16 to 60 settlers, alongside the presence of Israeli army forces.
He added that Israeli forces have taken control of the home of a citizen adjacent to the three homes and turned it into what he described as a «military barracks», while residents of the area are living in a state of continuous fear and anxiety over the fate of the besieged families.
“Al-Wadi” pointed out that the area where the homes are located is classified as Area “B” under the arrangements of the Oslo Accords, considering that the continued siege is imposing a new reality on the ground.
Calls for Urgent International Intervention
The mayor of Qusra called on humanitarian institutions, international organizations, and the international community to intervene urgently to ensure the delivery of food, water, and medicine to residents, warning that the continued siege could turn it into a fait accompli.
He stated that the siege, which has entered its eleventh day, could have been ended within a few minutes if the settlers had been removed from Jabal Ras Al-Ain, warning that continued silence could lead to broader repercussions.
He added that what is happening represents, in his view, «a very dangerous project», as settlers expand into various areas of the West Bank, from Masafer Yatta to northern areas, noting that continued disregard for these developments will eventually affect everyone.
The crisis escalated after settlers besieged the three homes, before the Israeli army declared the area a «closed military zone». The United States also became involved in the crisis after the U.S. ambassador to Israel, “Mike Huckabee”, criticized the settlers participating in the siege.
The Israeli army’s handling of the settlers has drawn widespread criticism, particularly after footage emerged showing soldiers interacting with them without decisively removing them, while restrictions were imposed on the movement of Palestinians. The Associated Press confirmed that the forces continued to deploy and close off the area, while tensions remained around the besieged homes.
The Qusra crisis comes within a broader escalation of settler violence in the West Bank — according to U.N. data — with the town recording in 2026 a number of settler attacks exceeding that experienced by any other Palestinian community in the West Bank, making it one of the most prominent flashpoints in recent months.
United News Network – UNN Arabic
An independent media platform that provides reliable news and objective analysis, and seeks to promote peace and cultural dialogue around the world, to convey the truth and build bridges of understanding among peoples.
For more news, you can visit our homepage:
Author’s Name: Consultant Faisal Al-Mutairi.
Publication Date: August 19, 2026.
Updated: August 2026.
