Palestinian Filmmaker Hamdan Ballal Beaten by Settlers, Detained by Israeli Military in West Bank
Hamdan Ballal, the Palestinian co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, was violently assaulted by Israeli settlers and later detained by Israeli military forces in his home village of Susya, located in the Masafer Yatta region of the occupied West Bank.
The attack, which took place on Monday, March 24, 2025, has ignited outrage just weeks after Ballal and his co-directors celebrated their Academy Award win.
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Eyewitness accounts from Ballal’s co-director Basel Adra and activists from the Center for Jewish Nonviolence (CJNV) describe a group of 10 to 20 masked Israeli settlers storming Susya shortly after residents broke their Ramadan fast. Armed with sticks, stones, knives, and at least one assault rifle, the settlers attacked Palestinian homes, smashing car windows and slashing tyres. Ballal, a 37-year-old filmmaker and farmer, was targeted at his residence.
Adra, who rushed to the scene after receiving a distress call, reported that Israeli soldiers arrived alongside the settlers, firing shots into the air. Ballal’s wife heard him scream, “I’m dying,” as he was beaten outside their home. Adra later saw Ballal—injured and bleeding—being led away by soldiers, handcuffed and blindfolded. Bloodstains outside his front door remained as evidence of the violent assault.
Israeli filmmaker Yuval Abraham, a co-director of No Other Land, reported the attack on social media, stating, “A group of settlers just lynched Hamdan Ballal. He has head and stomach injuries, bleeding. Soldiers took him from an ambulance. No sign of him since.” Video evidence posted by Abraham showed masked settlers attacking activists.
American activists with CJNV also reported being assaulted.
One volunteer, Jenna, said she and her colleagues were attacked by settlers wielding batons and knives. “They hit me with sticks,” she recounted, adding that the settlers smashed their car’s windows and slashed a tyre. Dashcam footage from CJNV captured a masked individual throwing a rock at their windshield.
The Israeli military stated that three Palestinians, including Ballal and one Israeli, were detained following what it called a “violent confrontation.” The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed the clash began when “terrorists hurled rocks at Israeli citizens,” triggering “mutual rock-throwing” between Palestinians and settlers. The military denied that Ballal was taken from an ambulance.
Attorney Leah Tsemel, who represents the detained Palestinians, said police informed her that the individuals were being held at a military base for medical treatment before questioning. However, as of Tuesday, March 25, Ballal’s whereabouts remained unclear. His co-directors expressed grave concern over his condition and lack of communication.
This attack comes amid a surge in settler violence in the West Bank, particularly in Masafer Yatta, where Palestinian communities face ongoing displacement pressure. No Other Land, which Ballal co-directed with Adra (Palestinian), Abraham, and Rachel Szor (both Israeli), documents home demolitions and forced evictions in Masafer Yatta. Since winning the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature on March 2, 2025, the film has drawn both international acclaim and controversy in Israel for its depiction of settler and military actions.
Ballal had previously documented settler intimidation, including incidents of settlers claiming divine ownership of his land. Adra suggested that the recent attack might be retaliation for the film’s success and its criticism of the Israeli occupation. “Since we returned from the Oscars, we have been attacked daily,” he said. “It feels like punishment.”
The assault has drawn condemnation from activists and global figures. Former Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte called for “maximum diplomatic and economic sanctions” against Israel in response. Activists say Israeli soldiers at the scene failed to stop the settler violence, standing by as attacks unfolded. Video evidence of the assault has circulated widely, fueling calls for accountability.
No Other Land has won awards at the Berlin International Film Festival and the Oscars, bringing international attention to the human cost of Israeli policies in the West Bank. However, it has also faced backlash, with critics in Israel accusing it of bias and some Palestinian activists opposing its Israeli co-directors.
