Published on: 2026-08-18
Source: United Nations – Объединенные Нации –
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August 17, 2026 Peace and Security
UN humanitarian agency staff reached the village of Kusra, south of Nablus in the West Bank, where three Palestinian families remain surrounded by Israeli soldiers and settlers. The siege began after the establishment of an Israeli outpost near their homes.
As reported at a briefing in New York by United Nations spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, the UNICEF team delivered drinking water, food, medicines, hygiene products, and special kits for children to those under siege.
The efforts of municipal workers in the West Bank to restore the water supply system and power lines damaged last week faced serious obstacles but were ultimately successfully completed. Settlers attacked the workers, and Israeli forces detained some of them.
Over the past weekend, several people were injured – including by live bullets – as a result of two incidents in the Hebron Governorate on the West Bank, involving Israeli soldiers, settlers, and Palestinians.
Deputy UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Ramiz Alakbarov stated on Monday that the developments in the West Bank highlight the urgent need to protect civilians, safeguard homes and property, and ensure the population’s access to services. He emphasized that what is happening in Kusra must not become the “new normal.”
The situation in Gaza
UN humanitarian agency workers report that Israeli military forces continue to strike Gaza—mostly west of the so-called Yellow Line. In this area, which covers less than half of the sector’s territory, the majority of Gaza’s population is currently concentrated. Among the casualties of the shelling were civilians.
Preparation for the upcoming rainy season in Gaza is hindered by a lack of funding and numerous restrictions. Humanitarian organizations have been able to procure about 30,000 tents, most of which are still outside the sector. It is estimated that during the winter period, residents of Gaza will need between 80,000 and 130,000 tents. This year, less than 40 percent of the four billion dollars required for humanitarian support in Gaza and the West Bank has been collected.
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