Israeli forces have closed the only entrance to the village of al-Mughayyir in the occupied West Bank, preventing residents from leaving or entering, according to village council head Amin Abu Alia. He told the Palestinian news agency Wafa that the gate has remained closed almost continuously since Friday, opening only for a few minutes at times.

Abu Alia told Turkey’s Anadolu Agency that the gate is shut in the morning, stopping village workers from reaching their jobs, and that they face the same restriction when attempting to return. He alleged that the purpose is to force Palestinians to leave the area. Israeli forces raided al-Mughayyir on Friday following an allegation that a sheep belonging to an Israeli settler had been stolen, an accusation Abu Alia rejected.

Three Palestinians were injured during the raid, and an ambulance was reportedly obstructed while trying to reach them. Abu Alia said more than 50 Israeli settlers entered the village’s northern area, assaulted a farmer and took 25 of his sheep. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said al-Mughayyir has faced a “suffocating siege” for about 20 days, with the gate opened for only two hours on some days.