Qusra: The Israeli army has seized 16 Palestinian homes in and around Qusra in the northern occupied West Bank, transforming them into military posts, according to a local official. Abdul Azim al-Wadi, head of the Qusra village council, relayed to Anadolu Agency that the military operation is ongoing and is expected to continue until Sunday morning.
According to Anadolu Agency, Large contingents of Israeli forces, supported by infantry troops, military vehicles, and bulldozers, have entered Qusra and taken positions both in the town and on its outskirts. Al-Wadi noted that the army's stated objective is to dismantle an illegal outpost set up by occupiers near the town, amid rising tensions in the area.
Three Palestinian families, including one family with US citizenship, have been trapped inside their homes for four consecutive days. An Anadolu correspondent observed Israeli troops stationed in several homes, forcing some families to relocate to live with relatives.
Since Sunday, Israeli occupiers have erected temporary structures among Palestinian homes in the Ras al-Ain area on the outskirts of Qusra. According to the Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, the occupiers have obstructed roads leading to the area, using rocks to block passage and surrounding three homes.
The commission has raised alarms that these developments might lead to a prolonged siege aimed at isolating the families and coercing them out of their homes. The occupiers have restricted the delivery of essential supplies, such as food, water, and medicine, and have cut off water and electricity lines.
Earlier on Thursday, significant Israeli forces raided Qusra, imposing a curfew and mandating the closure of businesses amid a large-scale deployment of infantry troops, military vehicles, and bulldozers. The current situation follows a pattern of escalating occupier attacks in the region and fears among Palestinians that the establishment of the outpost could become permanent and result in the confiscation of Palestinian homes and land.
The commission reported that attempts to establish an outpost in the Jabal Ras al-Ain area have been persistent, given its strategic location on high ground. These efforts to seize homes began roughly four months ago, with Palestinian families taking turns staying in them to thwart such attempts.
The commission highlighted the risk of a repeat of incidents like those in the nearby village of Jalud, where occupiers captured a home after a prolonged siege. According to their latest figures, occupiers conducted 12,506 attacks from October 2023 through June 2026, resulting in 52 Palestinian deaths and numerous property damages.