The Israeli army pictured in the West Bank village of Qusra on Wednesday
The Israeli military says it will deploy additional troops to the occupied West Bank after failing to force away Israeli settlers who have trapped two Palestinian families in their homes since Sunday.
The Abu Ridi and Hassan families – who live on the outskirts of the village of Qusra, south of Nablus – made appeals for help after their water and power supplies were cut off and their food stocks ran low.
The case is the latest to draw attention to the relative impunity of settlers and how Israeli forces are struggling to deal with rising settler violence.
Videos shared from Qusra overnight show a dozen Israeli security vehicles – including a bulldozer.
In later footage – filmed in the daylight – there is a long line of Israeli security forces on the road to the Palestinian village, which remains a closed military zone.
Local media reports say that a nearby Israeli settler outpost was demolished.
Qusay Abu Ridi, who has been trapped by settlers in his home since Sunday with his water and power cut off, told the BBC that the house had been attacked again overnight and that a few settlers remained in the area, hiding from the army.
His brother – who owns the property – is a Palestinian-American businessman who had complained to the US embassy.
The US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said his embassy had asked Israel to remove the settlers, describing them as "Israeli terrorists".
"Actions by those who carried out this horrific act of terror meant to intimidate and harass this family are disgusting. No excuse for such thuggish behavior," he posted on X.
Watch: How Israeli settlers are besieging Palestinian family homes in West Bank
The situation in Qusra first began on Sunday when settlers blocked the road to the Palestinian families' gates and cut off their power and water supplies. The first Israeli soldiers who came to the site prayed with the settlers – an act for which the Israel military later said they would be disciplined.
On Wednesday an attempt by Israeli security forces to dislodge the settlers led to confrontations with a bigger group – and ultimately failed.
Palestinian security camera video shared with the BBC showed confrontations between Israeli soldiers and border police and a large crowd of settlers. The security forces used tear gas and stun grenades.
