Hamdan Ballal, a Palestinian filmmaker and co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, was reportedly beaten by masked Israeli settlers and later arrested by Israeli forces in the West Bank, according to the Guardian.
The incident took place in the village of Susya in the Masafer Yatta area, south of Hebron. According to five Jewish American activists present at the scene, around 15 armed settlers surrounded Ballal’s house, throwing stones and destroying a water tank. Joseph, an activist from the Center for Jewish Nonviolence, stated that soldiers arrived alongside settlers in military uniforms, who then chased Ballal into his home before handing him over to Israeli forces.
Eyewitnesses reported that the settlers also vandalized Ballal’s car, smashing its windows and slashing its tires. Videos from the scene show blood inside the house, which a family member said came from Ballal after he was struck on the head. He and another Palestinian man, identified only as Nasser, were later taken into custody by Israeli authorities.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed in a statement that the arrests followed "violent clashes" between Palestinians and Israelis, alleging that "terrorists threw rocks at Israeli citizens." The statement added that IDF and police forces detained three Palestinians suspected of rock-throwing, along with an Israeli civilian.
Ballal’s co-director, Yuval Abraham, expressed concern over his colleague’s whereabouts, stating on social media that Ballal had suffered injuries to his head and stomach before being taken by soldiers. Abraham suggested that the attack may be linked to the international recognition of No Other Land, which documents Palestinian displacement in the West Bank.
“This is a terrifying escalation,” said Basel Adra, another co-director of the documentary. “Palestinians in the village have faced settler violence almost daily. Maybe this is revenge for the film and the Oscar.”
Activists from the Center for Jewish Nonviolence, who were also attacked during the incident, provided videos and photographs showing masked settlers chasing them and smashing their car windows. Anna Lippman, one of the activists, confirmed that Ballal was taken into custody and that his whereabouts remained unknown.
The incident comes amid rising settler violence in the West Bank, which has intensified since the outbreak of war in Gaza. Masafer Yatta, a cluster of Palestinian hamlets, has been under threat of Israeli demolitions for decades after being designated a restricted military zone by the Israeli government.
Ballal and his co-directors recently attended the Academy Awards, where No Other Land won Best Documentary Feature. During their acceptance speech, Abraham and Adra called for an end to violence, urging international action.
"Together, our voices are stronger," Abraham said at the Oscars. "The destruction of Gaza must end, and all Israeli hostages must be freed."
Ballal’s arrest and the circumstances surrounding it remain unclear. His colleagues and human rights activists are demanding his immediate release and an independent investigation into the attack.
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