Palestinians say they’re still trapped in homes, 11 days after settler siege commenced

By Nurit Yohanan

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19 August 2026, 9:25 pm

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Nurit Yohanan is The Times of Israel's Palestinian and Arab world correspondent

Israeli soldiers gather in front of the house of Palestinian-American landlord Louai Abu Ridi, which was besieged by Israeli settlers, in the West Bank village of Qusra, south of Nablus, August 19, 2026. (AP/Majdi Mohammed)

Some 11 days after settlers commenced a siege of several Palestinian homes on the outskirts of the northern West Bank village of Qusra, residents of those houses tell The Times of Israel that they are still trapped inside.

It took soldiers about a week just to clear several illegal outposts that settlers established adjacent to the three besieged homes on August 9.

The army declared the area a closed military zone, but soldiers have largely refrained from enforcing the directive against settlers, who have continued roaming the area every day to intimidate Qusra residents.

No settlers have been arrested for taking part in the siege, which appears to be a repeat of the strategy used to coax a Palestinian family to flee their home in the nearby village of Jalud last month. The building was subsequently taken over by settlers.

Residents of two of the three besieged Qusra homes tell The Times of Israel that troops operating in the area have told them that they’re not allowed to leave their homes unless they coordinate the exit with the army ahead of time.

However, they said they’re hesitant to leave, even briefly, due to concerns that the settlers, whom the IDF refuses to arrest, will seize the opportunity to take over their homes.

“We still can’t go to work or go to the [center of the] village. We are still besieged,” says Qusay Abu Ridi, who lives in one of the homes.

That home is owned by his brother Louai Abu Ridi, who arrived on Tuesday from Ohio after watching the siege via security cameras he had set up on the Qusra home.

“The settlers are still here. We feel the same [as we have in recent days],” adds Yusuf Hassan, the owner of the second home targeted by settlers.

The two families’ attorney, Roni Pelli of Yesh Din, sent a letter to the IDF on Monday regarding the restrictions imposed on the residents and the failure to remove the settlers from the entire area, but has not received a response.

The IDF has not responded to requests for comment.