On Monday, March 24, Hamdan Ballal, one of the co-directors of the documentary film No Other Land, was reportedly brutally assaulted by Israeli settlers in the village of Susiya in the West Bank.
As per BBC reports released on March 25, 2025, the attack occurred during an outbreak of violence involving settlers in the region. Yuval Abraham, the Israeli co-director of No Other Land, claimed Ballal suffered severe head and stomach injuries during the attack.
Ballal, while receiving medical treatment, was detained by Israeli forces. His detention, along with the assault, has become a center of criticism for human rights organizations and fellow filmmakers.
According to the BBC, the Israeli military has not yet provided detailed explanations for the event. However, it is to be noted that circumstances surrounding Ballal’s detention and the settlers' attack have sparked outrage.
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Filmed by Palestinian activist Basel Adra, Palestinian director Hamdan Ballal, Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham, and Israeli director Rachel Szor, No Other Land documents the Palestinians in the Masafer Yatta area of the seized West Bank struggling to stop Israeli forces from demolishing their houses and displacing people.
Selected for the Panorama section, No Other Land opened at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival in February 2024. It attracted notable attention and took home the esteemed Best Documentary Feature prize at the 97th Academy Awards in March 2025.
Israeli settlers attack Oscar-winning Palestinian director behind No Other Land, Hamdan Ballal
On Monday, the Palestinian village of Susiya in the West Bank faced an onslaught of violent attacks. The Independent reported that about twenty Israeli settlers broke into the village and attacked residents and activists. Among the victims of this assault was Hamdan Ballal, one of the co-directors of No Other Land.
Witnesses claim the colonists physically attacked the Palestinian filmmaker and destroyed property. Complicating the situation, some of the attackers were reportedly sporting Israeli military uniforms, while others were seen carrying weapons, and some were witnessed in masks.
The situation reportedly escalated when Israeli military forces arrived as Ballal received medical treatment for his injuries.
The soldiers detained Ballal and another Palestinian man who was reportedly involved in the incident. Witnesses, including co-director Basel Adra, expressed their shock at the violence and the subsequent detention. Ballal was taken away by Israeli forces, even though he was in a vulnerable state following the assault.
According to the military, among the people arrested, including Ballal, were poeple suspected of pelting stones at Israeli forces. Filmmakers and activists present at the scene, who argue the attack was unprovoked, have challenged this assertion, though.
Although the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have admitted the incident, according to the BBC, they have not offered more information on the conditions of Ballal's detention or the background of the settlers' participation.
Stay tuned for more news and updates on No Other Land and similar projects as the year progresses.
