Israeli police kill Palestinian in Jerusalem as army blocks aid to Qusra

Israeli military personnel prevented a joint Israeli‑Palestinian activist team from entering a cluster of homes in the West Bank that have been cut off by nearby Israeli settlers. The activists, who were carrying food, medicine and other essential supplies, were stopped at a checkpoint near the settlement of Itamar on Thursday, after the military cited security concerns and the need to maintain order in the area.

Human rights groups say the homes, located in the village of Qusra, have been under a de facto siege for weeks, with residents reporting shortages of basic necessities and limited access to medical care. The activists, affiliated with the Israeli organization “Breaking the Silence” and the Palestinian NGO “Al‑Maqdis,” said they had coordinated with local authorities and the Red Cross before attempting the delivery. Israeli officials, however, argued that the presence of civilians in the contested zone could exacerbate tensions and that the aid convoy required additional permits that had not been granted. The incident underscores the ongoing friction between settlement expansion, security protocols and humanitarian access in the occupied territories.