Palestinian Oscar-winning filmmaker Hamdan Balla released by Israel, wife says she heard him being beaten and screaming
A Palestinian Oscar-winning filmmaker, along with two other individuals, was freed by Israeli authorities following detention in the occupied West Bank. The release occurred one day after Jewish settlers severely assaulted him, and Israeli forces subsequently took him into custody.
On Tuesday, Associated Press reported seeing Hamdan Ballal and his two Palestinian companions departing from the Kiryat Arba settlement’s police station in the West Bank, where they had been detained. Ballal’s appearance reportedly showed visible facial bruising, and his clothing was stained with blood.
Ballal, one of the co-directors of “No Other Land,” a documentary highlighting the struggles of Palestinians living under Israeli occupation, was taken into custody along with two others.
The detention occurred after a violent confrontation in the West Bank village of Susiya on Monday evening, during which settlers allegedly attacked residents as they broke their fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Palestinian witnesses reported that around two dozen settlers—some masked, some carrying guns, and others dressed in military uniforms—stormed the village.
When Israeli soldiers arrived, they pointed their guns at Palestinians while settlers continued throwing stones. Ballal’s wife, Lamia, described hearing her husband being beaten outside their home while she and their three children huddled inside. She recalled him screaming, “I’m dying!” and calling for an ambulance. Through the window, she saw three men in uniform beating him with the butts of their rifles while another person in civilian clothes appeared to be filming the assault.
Israeli authorities accused Ballal and the other detainees of throwing stones at a young settler—allegations they deny. Their lawyer, Lea Tsemel, said the three men were held overnight on the floor of a military base and received only minimal medical care despite their injuries. The Israeli military later confirmed the detention of three Palestinians on suspicion of hurling rocks but provided no further comment, referring questions to the police.
Ballal’s detention and alleged mistreatment have drawn further attention to the rising violence in the West Bank, which has intensified since the onset of the Gaza war. His wife believes the attack on their home was connected to the international success of “No Other Land”. The documentary, which won Best Documentary at the 97th Academy Awards earlier this month, chronicles the efforts of Palestinians in the Masafer Yatta region to resist Israeli military attempts to demolish their villages. The film has won several international awards, including at the 2024 Berlin International Film Festival, and has sparked controversy in Israel and abroad.
Basel Adra, another co-director of the film and a prominent Palestinian activist, said there has been a sharp increase in attacks by settlers and Israeli forces since the film’s Oscar win. “Nobody can do anything to stop the pogroms, and soldiers are only there to facilitate and help the attacks,” Adra said.
The West Bank has seen a surge in violence in recent months, with the Israeli military conducting large-scale operations that have killed hundreds of Palestinians and displaced thousands. Rights groups have accused Israeli forces of turning a blind eye to settler violence or actively supporting it, further deepening the crisis in the occupied territories.
