Israeli Military Blocks UNICEF Aid to 15 Besieged Palestinians in Qusra
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Aug 16
Israeli Military Blocks UNICEF Aid to 15 Besieged Palestinians in Qusra
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Aug 16
Summary
15 Palestinians, including two children, remained trapped for a second week in three Qusra homes after Israeli forces intercepted a UNICEF aid convoy and turned away a water tanker, leaving them without reliable water or electricity.
UN officials said the residents were unable to meet basic needs, while Qusra's mayor said settlers had attacked municipal crews and a bulldozer a day earlier, preventing repairs to utility lines.
Al Jazeera reported Israeli troops were directly enforcing the blockade alongside armed settlers, had turned a nearby home into a military barracks and declared the area a closed military zone to expel solidarity activists.
Analysts and rights advocates said the siege fits a broader strategy to drive Palestinians from their land; since October 2023, settlers have set up more than 300 outposts and Israel has advanced 104 new settlements.