One of two besieged Palestinian families in Qusra still not allowed to return home

Several hours after the IDF said that troops would not stay in houses they have occupied in Qusra, one of the two besieged families in the West Bank Palestinian village says it is still not being allowed to return home.

Instead, the family of Yusuf Hassan has remained in a third, empty house in the compound, which has been obstructed by settlers since Sunday.

The second besieged family, Kusay Abu Ridi and his son, was allowed to return home after leaving it several hours ago on the IDF’s orders.

This morning, large numbers of IDF and Border Police forces entered Qusra ahead of a three-day operation to evacuate settler outposts in the area, including one blocking access to the families’ homes at the edge of the village.

Initially, the Israeli forces ordered six families in the village, as well as the two families in the besieged homes, to leave their homes.

A village resident tells The Times of Israel that in recent hours, some of the families of the village have returned to their homes, while others have not, with soldiers remaining in those homes.