Palestinian-American watches with dread as Israeli settlers besiege relatives' homes in West Bank
Al Jazeera English
1,485 views • 9 hours ago Save 5 min 3 min read
Video Summary
Israeli settlers, aided by soldiers, have besieged three Palestinian families in their homes in the occupied West Bank village of Kusra, blocking access to food, water, and electricity for days in an apparent land grab. Footage shows settlers and Israeli forces surrounding homes, with families unable to leave or receive supplies.
Loay Reedy, an American-Palestinian whose brother and nephew are trapped in one of the homes, shared his distress from Ohio. He reported that his brother has only enough food for two to three days and that Israeli forces have failed to intervene effectively, even appearing to side with settlers at times. Despite appeals to the U.S. Embassy and congressional representatives, no tangible change has occurred on the ground, leaving families in fear and Reedy watching helplessly via live security camera feeds.
Short Highlights
- Families besieged by Israeli settlers in their West Bank homes.
- Settlers block access to food, water, and electricity.
- Israeli forces fail to remove settlers or aid trapped families.
- U.S. Embassy and congressional representatives contacted for assistance.
- Families face dwindling supplies and fear for their safety.
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Key Details
Settlers Besiege Homes in Kusra [0:00]
- Israeli settlers have surrounded three Palestinian families in their homes in the occupied West Bank.
- The apparent goal is to seize land, with settlers blocking home entrances using rocks and tents.
- Security camera footage shows settlers and soldiers present.
Families have told Al Jazeera settlers have been blocking the entrances to at least three homes since Sunday using rocks and tents.
Trapped Families Face Severe Deprivation [0:45]
- Loay Reedy, an American-Palestinian whose brother and nephew are trapped, has been in constant contact for four days.
- Two other families, Hassan and Rizik Hassan, are also unable to leave their homes or receive supplies.
- Reedy watches live security camera footage from his home in Ohio.
And you've been actually watching security camera footage from your home from Ohio. Tell us what you've seen outside the house.
Critical Shortages Inside Homes [1:30]
- Reedy's brother, Kusai, and his 18-year-old son, Ahmed, are inside their home.
- They fear losing the house to settlers if they leave.
- Their demands are simple: food and supplies, as electricity and water lines have been cut.
- They are relying on a temporary solar system and well water from the previous winter.
He does not want to leave the home because if he leaves the home, the settlers will take over immediately.
Ineffective Intervention by Israeli Forces [2:30]
- Reedy states Israeli security forces have done nothing to help.
- On the first day, after police were called, IDF dispatched but later prayed behind settlers in a tent.
- Forces have since prevented anyone from reaching the houses.
- On the day of the interview, IDF demolished a tent but clashed with settlers, leaving them behind.
And he was shocked that they got down and started praying behind the settlers in the same tent and videos all over social media.
