US Ambassador Mike Huckabee condemned a group of Israeli settlers who surrounded Palestinian homes in the West Bank village of Qusra, calling the episode a “horrific act of terror”. The unusually forceful criticism from a longstanding supporter of Israeli settlements highlights growing concern over settler violence and the pressure it places on Palestinian communities.

For five nights, settlers reportedly blocked access to three homes, cut water and electricity supplies and prevented residents from leaving safely. One home is owned by a Palestinian American living in Ohio, while family members inside said food and water were running short; the US embassy said it was coordinating with Israeli security authorities. The UN recorded more settler attacks in Qusra than in any other West Bank community in 2026, including a March shooting that killed one resident and injured eight others.