Israeli forces clashed with settlers in the occupied West Bank village of Qusra on Wednesday as they attempted to dismantle an unauthorised outpost blocking access to Palestinian homes, but withdrew without fully removing those at the site.

The confrontation came after two Palestinian families said they had been effectively trapped inside their homes since Sunday, with water and electricity supplies cut and food running low.

Video reviewed by Reuters showed Israeli forces using tear gas during clashes with settlers who resisted attempts to clear the outpost. The military later said border police had removed a tent and were working to evacuate the civilians staying there, but residents remained surrounded.

Aysha Hassan, one of the residents, said settlers had tried to break through the gate of her home and thrown stones at the family.

“They tried to break the gate,” Hassan said. “We (are) dying of fear, extremely terrified.”

The outpost was established directly in front of Palestinian homes on the outskirts of Qusra, south of Nablus. Palestinian residents said the settlers also blocked the road with stones after damaging a wall outside one of the houses.

A Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance was eventually allowed to reach the families late on Tuesday. It delivered food and evacuated a girl who needed medical treatment, according to local residents and Israeli media reports. The families had otherwise been unable to leave or receive visitors since the settlers established the site.

The Israeli military condemned the outpost on Tuesday, describing its establishment as “illegal, reprehensible, and unacceptable activity that harms the residents of the areas and disrupts their daily lives”. It also said that disciplinary action would be taken against security personnel who had been documented at the site earlier.

The military's attempt to clear the outpost on Wednesday was complicated by the arrival of dozens of settlers, according to Israeli reporting. Forces removed the cover from one of the settlers' tents before withdrawing, after which witnesses said settlers again tried to enter one of the Palestinian homes.

The incident has exposed tensions between Israeli security forces and settlers over unauthorised outposts. The confrontation in Qusra was unusual because Israeli troops directly clashed with settlers while attempting to remove them.

The families had previously complained to Israeli authorities about the situation. Israeli journalists attempting to reach the homes were also stopped by soldiers, who cited a closed military zone order. The soldiers said they were waiting for Border Police to remove the settlers from the area.

Israeli human rights organisation Yesh Din called for the Palestinian residents to be protected, the outpost to be evacuated and those responsible for the actions against the families to be held accountable.

Qusra has faced repeated settler attacks. In late July, Palestinians reported that a newly built mosque in the village was set on fire and defaced with Hebrew graffiti. The incident followed deadly violence in the nearby village of Tal, where six people — four Palestinians and two Israelis — died during clashes and their aftermath.

The latest episode comes as settler violence and Palestinian displacement continue to rise across the West Bank. The UN has repeatedly described Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory as illegal under international law, while the International Court of Justice's 2024 advisory opinion found Israel's continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory unlawful and called for an end to settlement activity.

A UN Commission of Inquiry reported in June that Israeli state authorities bear primary responsibility for actions by Israeli settlers in the West Bank and said settler violence was being used to advance objectives including the consolidation of settlements and displacement of Palestinians.

As of Wednesday, the Israeli military said security forces remained at the scene and that the operation to evacuate civilians from the outpost was continuing.