Masked Israeli settler militants have launched a fresh assault on homes near the occupied West Bank village of Qusra, trapping seven Palestinians inside one house and leaving several injured. The attack, which took place on 29 August 2026, marks the first major escalation since a settler siege earlier this month sparked international outrage.
Witnesses described how the settlers surrounded a Palestinian home, hurling stones while those inside were unable to escape. Saddam Oday, a medic who was among the trapped, said the Israeli military fired tear gas into the residence and detained the occupants, but allowed the settlers to walk away without consequence. He noted that no settler was arrested or held accountable.
Luay Bayruti, the owner of the house, said soldiers handcuffed, blindfolded, and beat those inside upon arrival before eventually releasing them. He showed reporters his bandaged arm, injured by a stone during the assault. The Israeli military claimed troops arrived to remove what they called 'rioters' and protect residents, but did not explain why tear gas was fired at the home or why occupants were beaten.
What did Netanyahu say about the settler attack?
In his first public statement on the Qusra incident, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the violence, blaming a 'handful of rioters'. He said, 'I strongly condemn the criminal acts of violence committed in the villages of Qusra and Jalud,' referring to a separate incident in a neighbouring village. The United States had previously pressed Netanyahu to publicly denounce militant settlers who besieged Palestinians, according to US and Israeli officials.
The Israeli government has long attributed settler violence to a 'fringe minority', a claim disputed by rights groups. A UN inquiry in June found that Israeli authorities are directly involved in settler attacks that have killed, injured, and displaced Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Israel's mission in Geneva rejected those findings.
How are residents coping with daily settler encroachments?
Bayruti said he called the Israeli military for help, but he and six others remained trapped for over an hour as settlers threw stones. Four of the trapped suffered injuries from tear gas, while two were hurt by stones, according to Oday. The attack occurred just a few hundred metres from three homes besieged by settlers earlier this month, an incident that drew international condemnation and a heavy Israeli military deployment.
Loui Ridi, a Palestinian-American whose home was among those under siege, watched the latest attack unfold. He reported near-daily encroachments by settlers into the area, despite the significant Israeli military presence. 'They spotted the residents working on their house, which is still under construction, and they started throwing rocks,' Ridi said.
Is settler violence on the rise in the West Bank?
Rights groups say the growing settler presence on the edge of Palestinian villages like Qusra is part of a wider effort to seize more land, further eroding territory where Palestinians hope to establish a state. Violence by Israeli settlers has increased, with some emboldened by Netanyahu's government, which has overseen a massive settlement expansion. UN bodies and most countries deem the settlements illegal under international law regarding military occupations.
This latest attack underscores a grim reality: Palestinians face daily threats to their homes and lives, while the international community watches. The pattern is clear, and the silence is deafening. For the people of Qusra, the question is not if the next attack will come, but when.
