A Palestinian filmmaker who recently won an Oscar has been detained in the occupied West Bank following a violent clash between Israeli settlers and Palestinians, according to activists. Hamdan Ballal, co-director of the Academy Award-winning documentary No Other Land, was reportedly taken into custody by Israeli soldiers after an attack on his village, Susya. The incident has sparked concerns over escalating violence in the region, which has intensified since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in 2023.
According to five Jewish American activists present at the scene, a group of masked Israeli settlers launched an attack on Susya around 18:00 local time. Hamdan Ballal’s home was surrounded by the settlers, and the activists, who were there to document the violence, claimed they were also assaulted. Their vehicle windows were smashed, and they were reportedly punched and beaten with sticks.
Co-director Yuval Abraham, who won the Oscar alongside Hamdan Ballal, stated that Hamdan Ballal was beaten and taken away by soldiers while in an ambulance. However, the Israeli authorities have disputed this claim. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement saying that three Palestinians and one Israeli were detained under suspicion of throwing rocks at security forces.
Activists at the scene said they had attempted to seek help from Israeli soldiers, informing them that they were under attack. They alleged that while the soldiers eventually intervened, they did not take immediate action against the settlers. Instead, they detained Hamdan Ballal and two other Palestinians. The IDF confirmed that an Israeli citizen was also detained and later taken for medical treatment after being injured during the confrontation.
The incident is part of a broader pattern of violence in the West Bank, where Israeli settler attacks against Palestinian civilians have increased since 2023. The contested territory has been under Israeli occupation since 1967, and Israeli settlements, considered illegal under international law, have expanded over the years, leading to frequent clashes and growing tensions.
No Other Land, the documentary that earned Hamdan Ballal and Abraham their Oscar at the 97th Academy Awards, focuses on the struggle over Masafer Yatta, a group of around 20 Palestinian villages facing eviction by Israeli authorities. The film highlights the deep-rooted conflict over land and the friendship between Palestinian and Israeli activists fighting against displacement.
As violence continues to escalate in the West Bank, Hamdan Ballal’s detention has drawn international attention, with activists calling for his immediate release and raising concerns over the treatment of Palestinian civilians in the region.
