On 11 October 2023, armed Israeli settlers entered or approached the outskirts of Qusra, Nablus governorates, West Bank, where clashes broke out with Palestinian residents after settlers opened fire toward Palestinian homes and residents. Palestinians went outside to defend their property and families. At least four Palestinians were killed and several others were wounded during the shootings, including young men from local families such as the Odeh and Abu Rida families.

Accounts differ regarding the role of Israeli soldiers. Palestinian witnesses reported that Israeli soldiers were present and later also fired when villagers gathered, while the Israeli military stated that it intervened to disperse clashes and opened an investigation. Some reports indicate that it remains unclear whether all fatal shots were fired by settlers or soldiers.

The violence continued on 12 October 2023 during funeral preparations for those killed the previous day. Armed settlers allegedly blocked the funeral procession and opened fire, killing a father and his son, Ibrahim Wadi (62–63) and Ahmad Wadi (25–26). Because killings occurred both during the initial attack and the funeral, Palestinian residents and some media later described the events collectively as a “massacre” in Qusra.

Names of the martyrs:

Killed on 11 October 2023 (Qusra):

1. Muath Ra’id Mahmoud Odeh
2. Musab Abdul Haleem ‘Aref Abu Raida
3. ‘Obadah Saeed Awad Abu Srour

Killed on 12 October 2023 (funeral procession):

4. Ibrahim Wadi, 62
5. Ahmad Wadi, 23

Investigation of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel (Report of June 2024)

The Commission documented several cases of settler violence which it considers to be emblematic. The Commission investigated a case from 11 October 2023, in which three Palestinians, including one child, were killed by settlers and another Palestinian was killed by ISF during settler attacks on Qusra village in the Nablus Governorate. Threats were posted on X two days prior to the attack stating, in Arabic and Hebrew, “To all the rats in the sewers of Qusra village, we are waiting for you, and we will not mourn you!! The day of revenge is coming.”

According to an investigation by a Palestinian human rights organisation, on 11 October 2023, at around 14:30 to 15:00, a group of eight to ten masked Israeli settlers, some of whom were armed with automatic weapons and handguns, attacked the village of Qusra, located in the southeast of Nablus. Three Palestinians, including a child, were shot and killed by settlers with live ammunition and killed: Muath Ra’id Mahmoud Odeh, 29, shot in the chest; Musab Abdul Haleem ‘Aref Abu Raida, 18, shot in the head; and ‘Obadah Saeed Awad Abu Srour, 17, shot in the head.

According to two separate reports based on testimonies of residents, the settlers’ primary target was the Odeh family home. It had been the home of Mahmoud Ahmad Zaal Odeh, who had been killed in 2017 by Israeli settlers. His family of ten members, including five children, resided there.

As the attack unfolded, Palestinian residents and young men gathered to defend the area and support the occupants of the targeted home. The settlers, backed by settlement security officers, fired live ammunition directly at the house and the people who had come to defend against the attack. Throughout the attack, the settlers continued to hurl stones and fire live ammunition at the house and towards the windows.

According to Israeli human rights organisation B’Tselem, a family member, 29-year-old Awad Mahmoud Ahmad Odeh, climbed onto the roof of the house to confront the settlers and drive them away. He threw stones and bricks at the attackers and was shot in the neck and face. His six-year-old daughter, Rahaf Awad Mahmoud Odeh, was also shot in the right shoulder. Both were wounded as a result of the attack.

According to several reports, ISF soldiers arrived at the scene later in the day and also directed fire at the Palestinian residents. During the confrontations, Hasan Mohannad Hasan Odeh, 21, was fatally shot in the head by the ISF. Before withdrawing, the ISF confiscated a surveillance camera recording device from the attacked house, which had captured the settlers’ attack on video.

In total, three Palestinians were killed by settlers and one by ISF, and 12 Palestinians, including two children, sustained injuries after being shot by the ISF and Israeli settlers with live ammunition, while three Palestinians were killed by settlers and one by the ISF.

The next day, on 12 October 2023, at around 10:00, an organised funeral procession, comprising four Palestinian ambulances and accompanied by approximately 15 civilian vehicles, conveyed the bodies of the four dead Palestinians from the Salfit Government Hospital to their hometown, Qusra, for burial.

During the course of this journey, a group of Israeli settlers, under the protection of the ISF, obstructed the procession, attacked the vehicles and fired live ammunition. The obstruction included the placement of tyres and stones at a crossroad leading to Qusra. The attack was premeditated and organised.

As dozens of Palestinians were participating in the procession to pay their respects to the killed Palestinians, Israeli settlers fired live ammunition, fatally injuring Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud Wadi, 62, in the right shoulder, and his son, Ahmed Ibrahim Ahmed Wadi, 25, in the chest and neck.

According to screenshots posted in Haaretz, settlers issued a call on a WhatsApp group named “Updates from the Fight” for other settlers to come to the scene and obstruct the ambulances.

Investigation of Al-Halq and other Palestinian NGO's:

Settler Attack on Qusra Village, Occupied Nablus: Settlers Kill Five Palestinians

According to Al-Haq’s documentation, on 11 October 2023, at around 3:00 pm, a group of eight to ten masked Israeli settlers, some of whom were armed with automatic weapons and handguns, launched an attack on the village of Qusra, located in the southeast of Nablus, killing three Palestinians, whereby a fourth Palestinian was killed by the IOF.

The following day, Israeli settlers attacked the funeral procession of the four Palestinians killed, firing at Palestinians and killing two Palestinians: a father and his son.

The settlers had come from the Israeli colonial outpost, ‘Esh Kodesh’, which translates to “Holy Fire”. This colonial outpost was established in 2000 on Palestinian land to the south of Qusra, approximately 600 metres away from the nearest house in the village.

Arriving to the southeast of Qusra, some on all-terrain vehicle (ATV), Israeli settlers initiated their attack on the homes and properties of the Palestinian residents, firing live ammunition directly at residential buildings in the area. Their primary target was the home of Mahmoud Ahmad Zaal Odeh — who was killed in 2017 by Israeli settlers — where his family of ten members, including five children, resides.

As the attack unfolded, Palestinian residents and young men gathered to defend the area and supportthe occupants of the targeted home. The settlers fired live ammunition directly at the house and the people who had come to defend against the attack.

Throughout the attack, the settlers continued to hurl stones and fire live ammunition at the house and towards the windows. Awad Mahmoud Ahmad Odeh climbed onto the roof of the house to confront the settlers and drive them away. He threw stones and bricks at the attackers and was shot in the neck and face. His 6-year-old daughter, Rahaf Awad Mahmoud Odeh, was also shot in the right shoulder.

Approximately five minutes later, three civilian vehicles, each carrying the Israeli security guard of Esh Kodesh and Ahiya colonial outposts and Migdalim colonial settlement, arrived at the scene. They provided support to the settlers who were attacking the houses and Qusra residents, firing live ammunition at Palestinians upon arrival.

Around 15 minutes later, the IOF arrived, including military patrols from the Israeli border guards. Dozens of Israeli occupying soldiers dismounted from their vehicles and began firing tear gas canisters and live ammunition at the village’s residents. Subsequently, the Israeli settlers retreated southward, positioning themselves about 100 metres behind the IOF.

After approximately an hour and a half, reports confirmed that three Palestinians, including a child, had succumbed to their injuries inflicted by live ammunition from the settlers, and were killed. Their names were Muath Ra’id Mahmoud Odeh, 29, who sustained a gunshot wound to the chest; Musab Abdul Haleem ‘Aref Abu Raida, 18, who sustained a gunshot wound to the head; and ‘Obadah Saeed Awad Abu Srour, 17, a Palestinian child who sustained a gunshot wound to the head.

The confrontations in the village of Qusra lasted for over three hours until approximately 6:30 pm. During the confrontations, Hasan Mohannad Hasan Odeh, 21, was fatally shot in the head by the IOF. Before withdrawing, the IOF confiscated a surveillance camera recording device from the attacked house, the home of Mahmoud Odeh’s family, which had captured the settlers’ attack.

Injured individuals were transported by Palestinian ambulances to the Algeria Medical Center in Qusra. Subsequently, they were transferred to hospitals in the cities of Salfit and Nablus. While fulfilling its humanitarian duty of transporting the wounded and killed Palestinians, one Palestinian ambulance came under fire with live ammunition aimed at its front and rear windows, with no reported injuries among the ambulance crew members.

Overall, on that day, 12 Palestinians, including two children, sustained injuries after being shot by the IOF and Israeli settlers with live ammunition, while three Palestinians were killed by settlers and one by the IOF.

The next day, 12 October 2023, at around 10:00 am, an organised funeral procession, comprising four Palestinian ambulances and accompanied by approximately 15 civilian vehicles, conveyed the remains of the four Palestinians killed from the Salfit Government Hospital to their hometown, Qusra.

During the course of this journey, a group of Israeli settlers, under the protection of the IOF, obstructed the procession, attacked the vehicles and fired live ammunition. This obstruction included the placement of tires and stones at a crossroad leading to Qusra. As dozens of Palestinians were participating in the procession to pay their respect for the killed Palestinians, Israeli settlers fired live ammunition, fatally injuring Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud Wadi, 62, in the right flank, and his son Ahmed Ibrahim Ahmed Wadi, 25, in the chest and neck.

Ibrahim and Ahmed were transferred to Qabalan Medical Clinic and subsequently to Rafidia Government Hospital in Nablus, where Ibrahim was pronounced dead upon arrival, and diligent efforts of medical professionals and paramedics to resuscitate Ahmed were unsuccessful, pronouncing his death shortly later that day.

A few days later, on 15 October 2023, at around 12:00 pm, the IOF shot Karam Ayman Moahammad Dweikat, 17, in the right waist during confrontations with armed Israeli settlers and the IOF at Jabal Al-’Orma, in Beita town, in Nablus Governorate. Karam’s death was pronounced at around 1:20 pm at Rafidia Governmental Hospital in Nablus city.

The transportation of Karam’s body to his hometown, Beita, was obstructed until around 5:30 pm on the same day, as the IOF and armed settlers had closed the ‘Awarta checkpoint, west of Nablus city. This followed threats by settlers on social media which called for the killing of any Palestinian who holds a public funeral for Karam, recalling their killings of two Palestinians during the funeral procession in Qusra.

The social media post was shared on a Telegram channel, with Karam’s photo attached to an Arabic text that reads:

“To the rats of Beita town. You tried to harm the Jews of the area, expanding your aggression toward Jabal Al ‘Orma. This time, luckily for you, it ended with the killing of [only] one of you. We warn you not to hold a public and popular funeral for that killed man, advising you to bury him at night and in secret. Learn from the lesson of Qusra residents who thought they could hold a public funeral for their carcasses, which led to two additional killings. Any idiot who attends the funeral of your carcass will be risking his life for instant death…”

The Telegram channel called “the Nazi Hunters”, with now more than 7,000 subscribers, has been created since the start of the ongoing Israeli aggression on Gaza, which on a daily basis publishes photos, names and homes’ addresses of Palestinian figures, mainly activists, calling on “law enforcement officials to punish them”.