Escalating Israeli settler attacks besiege West Bank’s Qusra, UNRWA college threatened

Recent weeks have seen a significant escalation of Israeli settler attacks in the West Bank, particularly impacting the village of Qusra, near Nablus. In August 2026, residents of Qusra faced a prolonged siege where settlers reportedly blockaded homes, cut off utilities, and threw stones, trapping families inside for days. The Israeli military intervened on multiple occasions, at times removing settlers, but also reportedly displacing Palestinian families and using their residences as military outposts. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry has condemned these actions as systematic terrorism aimed at displacing Palestinians and annexing their land, noting that these incidents are part of a broader pattern of increasing settler violence that has resulted in numerous Palestinian casualties and attacks throughout the West Bank in 2026.

Separately, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has issued warnings regarding threats to its Qalandia Training College in the West Bank. In early August 2026, UNRWA cautioned that any unlawful closure or seizure of the institution by Israeli authorities would severely impact the education and vocational training services provided to Palestine refugees. The college, a long-standing vocational institute, has reportedly faced intensified threats and multiple raids by Israeli forces throughout 2026, including an incident in July where dozens of students and staff were reportedly detained.