Hamdan Ballal, co-director of No Other Land alongside Yuval Abraham, was attacked by a group of settlers and has gone missing after sustaining multiple injuries. Yuval Abraham shared details of the incident on his X account, revealing that the settlers lynched Ballal, and after the attack, soldiers took him away. Since then, there has been no sign of him.
According to The Associated Press, the Center for Jewish Non-Violence witnessed the attack. Reports state that the settlers beat Ballal, pelted stones at his car, and slashed its tires.
Abraham’s post on X read, “A group of settlers just lynched Hamdan Ballal, co-director of our film No Other Land.” He further stated, “They beat him, and he has injuries to his head and stomach, bleeding. Soldiers invaded the ambulance he called and took him. No sign of him since.”
Witnesses confirmed that the attack took place in Ballal’s home village of Susya. The majority of the attackers were masked teenagers armed with knives and sticks.
Lawyer Leah Zemel reported that three Palestinians have been arrested in connection with the violence and are currently being held at a military center for further questioning.
The International Documentary Association has issued a statement calling for Ballal’s immediate release. The statement reads, “We demand Ballal’s immediate release and that his family and community be informed about his condition, location, and the justification for his detention.”
The attack on Ballal comes just weeks after No Other Land won an Oscar for Best Documentary.
