Overview

• Hamdan Ballal, co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary 'No Other Land,' published a New York Times op-ed on April 25, recounting his March 24 assault and detention in Susiya, West Bank.
• Ballal described being beaten by settlers, mocked as an 'Oscar-winning filmmaker,' and later blindfolded, handcuffed, and held overnight on an IDF base before his release.
• The IDF claimed the incident began with Palestinians throwing rocks, but witnesses and Ballal dispute this, describing it as an unprovoked attack on him and his community.
• Ballal contrasted the global recognition of 'No Other Land' with the unrelenting violence faced by his community, urging international audiences to remain engaged with the region's struggles.
• In the days following Ballal's attack, settlers targeted the nearby village of Jinba, resulting in injuries, arrests, and an army raid, highlighting ongoing tensions in the West Bank.