Hamdan Ballal , the co-director of ‘No Other Land’ attacked by Israeli settlers, detained by army

Hamdan Ballal, a Palestinian filmmaker who co-directed the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, was arrested by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank. And get this—it happened right after he was attacked and beaten by Israeli settlers.

His co-director, Yuval Abraham, broke the news on X, saying that a group of settlers had beaten Ballal badly, leaving him with head and stomach injuries, bleeding. Ballal called for an ambulance, but instead of getting medical help, Israeli soldiers stormed in and took him away. Since then, there’s been no sign of him.

A video from the Center for Jewish Nonviolence captured part of the attack. It shows a masked settler throwing punches at two activists in a dusty field at night. The activists rush back to their car, someone yells, “Get in, get in!”, and as they drive off, you can hear rocks smashing into the vehicle.

And it wasn’t just Ballal. A group of 10 to 20 masked settlers also attacked Jewish activists at the scene, throwing stones, swinging sticks, smashing car windows, and even slashing tires. One of those activists, Josh Kimelman, told reporters that Ballal was taken blindfolded, and no one knows where he is.

The Israeli military has said they’re “looking into” the incident but haven’t provided any real details yet.

For some context, No Other Land is a documentary made by both Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers, following activist Basel Adra as he documents the destruction of his hometown, Masafer Yatta, by the Israeli military. It’s been winning awards internationally, starting at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2024, but it’s also stirred controversy—some people in Israel and abroad are unhappy with the film’s message. In fact, there was even an attempt in Miami Beach to shut down a theater that screened it.

For now, the big question remains—where is Hamdan Ballal?