WEBDESK: Oscar-winning filmmaker Hamdan Ballal was reportedly attacked and abducted by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, according to co-director Yuval Abraham.
“A group of settlers just lynched Hamdan Ballal,” Abraham posted on X (formerly Twitter).
“They beat him, leaving him with head and stomach injuries. Soldiers then invaded the ambulance he called and took him. No sign of him since.”
According to reports, Hamdan Ballal, the co-director of the documentary No Other Land, was beaten and taken to an unknown location by Israeli settlers. The attack comes amid rising tensions and increasing violence in the West Bank.
No Other Land, which won an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature, sheds light on the struggles of Palestinians living under Israeli occupation. The film gained worldwide attention for its powerful storytelling and human rights message.
A member of the Israeli Knesset, Ofer Cassif, said all attempts to receive official confirmation of his location, including by him, had failed. “Under the tyrannical occupation, even the Oscar can’t protect you from harm.”
No Other Land follows a Palestinian family facing eviction in the West Bank. The film won major awards at the Berlin Film Festival and screened at Toronto, Vancouver, and New York film festivals. Despite critical acclaim, it lacks a U.S. distributor, leading to a self-release in New York (Jan. 31) and Los Angeles (Feb. 7).
The situation in the West Bank has worsened in recent months, with reports of increased settler attacks on Palestinian civilians. The attack on Hamdan Ballal has further highlighted the dangers faced by those trying to document and expose these incidents.
Human rights organizations are urging global leaders to take immediate steps to address settler violence and protect those working to bring attention to the ongoing crisis. Meanwhile, Hamdan Ballal’s current whereabouts are unknown.
Read more: No other land wins best documentary at the Oscars
