Israeli settlers besiege Qusra village, forcing evacuation of five Italian activists

Five Italian activists, comprising one man and four women aged between 20 and 40, have been evacuated from the West Bank village of Qusra following a siege by Israeli settlers. The activists had been staying with a Palestinian family to show solidarity after extremists attempted to establish an outpost within the family's courtyard.

The Mayor of Qusra, Abdul-Azim Wadi, reported that Israeli forces compelled the activists to leave following settler attacks and the encirclement of the area. While the activists are reported to be safe and staying with friends in a nearby village south of Nablus, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is monitoring the situation through its crisis unit in coordination with the consulate in Jerusalem and the embassy in Tel Aviv.

The incident has drawn international attention. The United States has pressured Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to condemn the siege, and U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee described the assaults as the work of “Israeli terrorists.” Additionally, France has called on Jerusalem to arrest the extremists responsible for blocking movement for the besieged Palestinian families. Within Israel, the situation has highlighted tensions between the Netanyahu government and the IDF regarding jurisdiction over civilian matters in the West Bank.