QUSRA/GAZA CITY: Israeli authorities said on Wednesday they would deploy additional troops to restore order after failing to end a blockade imposed by settlers on Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank.
The standoff began on Sunday when settlers erected a makeshift tent near homes in the Palestinian village of Qusra, south of Nablus, restricting the delivery of essential supplies.
“We have received no food and no medicine,” said Qusai Abu Rida, a Palestinian trapped inside one of the homes. He said electricity was available only through solar panels.
The Israeli military condemned the settlers’ actions and declared the area a “closed military zone”. Soldiers removed the tent on Wednesday morning, but by afternoon, an AFP photographer reported that although the tent was gone and troops had left, settlers remained at the site.
Abu Rida said the settlers had chairs and blankets.
“The army has withdrawn, and so far we are still besieged, with the settlers at our doorstep,” he said.
The military announced plans to deploy another infantry battalion, with additional troops placed on standby.
The army’s chief of staff “directed that efforts to strengthen order and operational control in the area continue, as well as efforts to prevent further serious incidents”, according to a military statement.
A day earlier, the Israeli military said it had received reports of settlers entering and taking control of Palestinian homes and land in the area.
“This is illegal, reprehensible and unacceptable activity that harms the residents of the areas and disrupts their daily lives,” it said, adding that disciplinary action would be taken against security personnel filmed at the location.
Violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank has persisted for years, frequently with limited legal consequences, while attacks have increased sharply in recent months.
Gaza strike breaks lull
Israel also carried out its first air strike in more than a week in Gaza on Wednesday, ending a period of relative calm as the United States continued pushing a peace proposal.
The Israeli military said it targeted a Hamas commander who was allegedly preparing attacks against Israeli forces in the territory.
“The terrorist was struck in an aerial strike in order to remove the threat to IDF troops,” the military said, adding that measures had been taken to reduce the risk to civilians.
Gaza’s civil defence agency, which operates under Hamas, said the strike in Beit Lahia in northern Gaza hit civilians travelling in a tuk-tuk.
The agency and Al-Shifa Hospital said the attack killed Mohanad Saada, whose body was “torn to pieces”, and injured five others.
A witness said Saada was among workers repairing a wall damaged by Israeli shelling.
“It is true that Israeli airstrikes and assassinations had almost completely ceased for over a week, but today the occupation resumed its aerial bombardment,” said civil defence spokesman Mahmoud Bassal.
Hamas has announced plans to disarm by handing its weapons to an emerging Palestinian governing committee. Trump’s “Board of Peace”, tasked with implementing the ceasefire agreement, had initially said Israel would begin a phased withdrawal from large parts of the Gaza Strip in return.
